Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has rejected a central demand of the United States, stating that it is “100%” against the country’s interests to abandon uranium enrichment. This development follows earlier reports that the U.S. had proposed a new nuclear deal to Iran, an attempt to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. proposal was presented to Iran last Saturday by Oman, a mediator in talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Despite five rounds of negotiations, several significant disagreements remain, including Iran’s insistence on maintaining uranium enrichment on its soil and its refusal to export its entire existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium—a potential raw material for nuclear armaments.
The Supreme Leader, who holds the final authority on all state matters, did not suggest halting the talks but firmly rejected the U.S. proposal, arguing that it contradicts Iran’s belief in self-reliance. He emphasized the importance of uranium enrichment to Iran’s nuclear program during a televised speech, stating, “The proposal that the Americans have presented is 100% against our interests… Who are you to decide whether Iran should have enrichment?”
Reports indicate that Tehran has long denied accusations by Western powers that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, asserting its interest in mastering nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Reports also suggest that Tehran was prepared to reject the U.S. proposal, criticizing it as a “non-starter” that failed to soften Washington’s stance on uranium enrichment or address Tehran’s concerns.
The evidence suggests that President Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran since his return to the White House in January. This campaign has included tightening sanctions and threatening military action against Iran if the negotiations yield no deal. Trump aims to curtail Tehran’s potential to produce a nuclear weapon, while Iran’s clerical establishment desires to be rid of the crippling sanctions.
During his first term, Trump abandoned Tehran’s 2015 nuclear pact with six powers and reimposed sanctions, causing severe economic distress for Iran. In response, the country escalated its uranium enrichment well beyond the pact’s limits. As a result, Iran’s clerical establishment now grapples with numerous crises, including energy and water shortages, a depreciating currency, regional conflicts, and fears of an Israeli strike on its nuclear sites.
Iran’s long-time adversary, Israel, which perceives Tehran’s nuclear program as a threat, has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons. In response, Tehran has pledged harsh retaliation.