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Iran, U.S. stress diplomacy at UN, nuclear gap remains
Iran and the United States reiterated their commitment to diplomacy during a tense U.N. Security Council meeting Tuesday, yet major differences over a nuclear agreement persist.
Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said Tehran remains committed to “principled diplomacy” and called on France, Britain, and the U.S. to take concrete steps to rebuild trust. He reaffirmed Iran’s adherence to the 2015 nuclear deal, which limits its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
U.S. Mission counselor Morgan Ortagus stressed that Washington is open to talks but only if Iran engages in direct, meaningful negotiations. She warned against Iran’s uranium enrichment, a key sticking point.
Irvani criticized U.S. demands for zero enrichment as unfair, saying continued support from France and Britain could “effectively destroy diplomacy.” Meanwhile, Iran has accelerated uranium enrichment to 60%, nearing weapons-grade levels, prompting the three Western powers to reinstate sanctions under a “snapback” mechanism.
Tensions drew sharp exchanges at the council, with Russia accusing France of failing in past diplomatic efforts, reports UNB.