Why it matters:
The statement underscores Iran’s growing frustration with ongoing nuclear negotiations and signals that Tehran is unwilling to make further concessions, particularly on uranium enrichment—a central issue in the stalled diplomacy between Iran and the U.S..
What he’s saying:
Ayatollah Qomi emphasized that if current nuclear talks don't yield results, the blame squarely falls on the Americans, accusing them of making irrational demands, such as demanding that Iran reduce its uranium enrichment to zero.
“Iran is the second-largest victim of weapons of mass destruction after Japan,” he noted. “We are the number one country in the world in terms of the number of chemical warfare victims—tens of thousands of chemical attack survivors and martyrs.”
“Our young scientists, even back in 2004 at the age of 26, gained access to uranium enrichment technology, and since then, the nation has paid a high price—through sanctions, martyrdom, and suffering. They know nuclear energy is vital for medicine, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and the country’s future.”
Ayatollah Qomi holds the United States responsible for any failure in the nuclear negotiations, citing Washington’s “unreasonable demands” like insisting Iran cease uranium enrichment entirely.
Go deeper:
Iran’s nuclear program remains at the heart of geopolitical tensions between Tehran and the West. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) limited Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, but the U.S. withdrawal from the deal in 2018 under Donald Trump collapsed the agreement.
ahmad shirzadian
