A senior Iranian official rejected Washington’s demand that Tehran substantially reduce its uranium enrichment capabilities, declaring that recognition of Iran’s claimed right to enrich uranium remains a “red line” that the regime will not surrender, Reuters reported Wednesday.

The official was responding to Vice President JD Vance, who said Iran would need to demonstrate a meaningful reduction in its enrichment capabilities for an agreement ending the war to become possible.

The Iranian official said no direct U.S.-Iran negotiations over the nuclear program have taken place and insisted Washington would first have to satisfy Tehran’s conditions before nuclear negotiations could begin.

While Iran is refusing to negotiate away what it describes as its fundamental right to enrichment, the official indicated that the specific level and details of enrichment could eventually be discussed.

The dispute goes directly to one of the central issues separating Washington and Tehran as the Trump administration seeks an agreement that would prevent Iran from rebuilding a nuclear weapons capability following months of war.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)