Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment or hand over its uranium, nuclear chief says

DUBAI — Iran has reaffirmed its stance against abandoning uranium enrichment or turning over its uranium reserves, according to state media on Thursday. This stance was reported through the country's Atomic Energy Organization, which cited Mohammad Eslami, the head of the organization. In response to the United States' demand for meaningful reductions in Iran's enrichment capacity, Eslami dismissed the threats as "nothing new."

He emphasized that enrichment is "an inseparable part of the nuclear process." Eslami's remarks come as Iran and the United States have been exchanging proposals in recent weeks, aiming to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy shipping route. Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, stated that Iran could respond to a U.S. proposal within days.

This proposal would see the Strait of Hormuz reopened within seven days if certain conditions are met. Eslami stressed, "Enrichment is an integral part of the nuclear process, and we will not abandon it in any way. How can you claim to have a nuclear industry if you don't have the starting point of the process?" He further added, "The nuclear industry is the driving force of science and technology."