Baghaei in Tehran agrees with forming a nuclear consortium, but enrichment will continue
Ismail Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated on Monday, May 18, that Tehran welcomes the formation of a joint consortium with some regional countries, citing the future regional needs for nuclear fuel.
He emphasized that the proposal to create such a consortium was not initiated by Iran and is not a new issue.
However, he warned that this move should not replace the enrichment program on Iranian soil.
Previously, media such as the New York Times and the Guardian reported that Abbas Araqchi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic, had proposed to Steve Witkoff, the special representative of the Trump administration for Middle Eastern affairs, cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for uranium enrichment.
The issue of uranium enrichment on Iranian soil remains the main point of contention in negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
Witkoff recently emphasized that the United States will not accept even one percent of Iran’s enrichment capacity, while the Islamic Republic considers the prohibition of enrichment a red line.
Majid Takht Ravanchi, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, said that if the United States insists on zero enrichment, the negotiations will not reach a conclusion.