Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has publicly rejected a renewed Trump demand for zero enrichment on Iranian soil, calling it incompatible with Iran’s national interests and asserting that uranium enrichment is Iran’s indisputable right. “If we have a hundred nuclear power plants but no enrichment capability, they are worthless,” he said. “If we don’t enrich ourselves, we’ll have to extend a begging hand to America—and they will impose conditions.” In his remarks – delivered in a speech commemorating the anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini’s death – Khamenei added: “Who are you to decide whether Iran should enrich uranium or not? What business is it of yours?”
Khamenei’s remarks come just days after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the United States would not accept any deal that allows Iran to enrich uranium. Trump’s declaration, delivered over social media, appeared to conflict with reports on a proposal that the U.S. had reportedly offered Iran through the Omanis.
Iran and the United States are engaged in ongoing talks aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief—a process that has gained urgency after years of escalating tension, especially since Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Following the delivery of a new written U.S. proposal via Omani mediation, Iranian officials emphasized that no deal will move forward without concrete guarantees regarding sanctions relief. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei stated that “receiving a document does not imply acceptance, or even that it is acceptable.” He reaffirmed that Iran’s “effective termination of sanctions” and the right to enrich uranium on its own soil remain “non-negotiable red lines.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the U.S. offer as “comprehensive and acceptable,” asserting that “it’s in Iran’s interest to accept it.” According to a detailed Axios report, the proposal allows for limited, low-level enrichment in Iran under international monitoring—but only temporarily. This stands in contrast to Trump’s demand for “zero enrichment,” which Khamenei strongly opposed in his speech.
The Axios report further reveals that the U.S. proposal includes several restrictions: Iran would be prohibited from building new enrichment facilities, required to dismantle certain uranium conversion infrastructure, and obligated to halt research on advanced centrifuges. It also suggests enrichment should be capped at 3% for a specified period, while underground enrichment facilities would be shut down. Additionally, enriched uranium may need to be exported, and a regional enrichment consortium could be created.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. paused new sanctions targeting Iran, despite the existing “maximum pressure” framework. According to the report, Leavitt instructed officials at the National Security Council, Treasury, and State Department to delay all new sanctions actions. The order—issued unusually through the White House press office—was attributed to restructuring delays within key departments. While the White House did not deny the report, it stated that “any new decisions regarding sanctions will be announced by the White House or relevant agencies.”
Iran responded skeptically to this development. Spokesperson Baghaei said Iran has seen “nothing but repeated waves of sanctions before each round of negotiations” and that there has been “no real shift in U.S. conduct.”
While both sides acknowledge progress over five recent rounds of indirect talks, uranium enrichment and sequencing of sanctions relief appear to remain the most contentious sticking points. Iran has hinted it may allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections, including access for American inspectors, under certain conditions—but insists that enrichment within Iran is not up for negotiation.
Khamenei reinforced that position again this week, asserting: “If we shut down our nuclear industry, we will be betraying the efforts of thousands of young scientists who built it from the ground up.” He added that “very few countries in the world” possess Iran’s full nuclear fuel cycle capability, and called the nuclear issue “a national matter and a symbol of independence.”
Khamenei’s remarks were echoed by Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. In a statement, its head, Mohammad Eslami, described the Supreme Leader’s speech as “strategic and clarifying” and vowed that “Iran’s nuclear progress will continue with strength and resilience.” The military also issued a statement warning that it “stands fully prepared to respond to any strategic miscalculation by enemies at any time.”
Meanwhile, diplomatic tension has escalated over a confidential IAEA report—cited by Reuters and Bloomberg—which accuses Iran of undeclared nuclear activity at three sites. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed concern that he “cannot guarantee Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful.” Iran has strongly rejected the report, warning of Western political manipulation.
During his visit to Cairo, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Grossi and asserted that Iran will respond to “any inappropriate actions” by European countries. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi called the IAEA assessment “political and inconsistent with the 2015 JCPOA resolution”, emphasizing that “Iran has no undeclared nuclear material or activity” and continues to “cooperate extensively with the agency.”
Gharibabadi also noted that Iran had 274 IAEA inspectors assigned through the end of 2024, and reaffirmed Iran’s position that it is not seeking nuclear weapons. The IAEA report has prompted the U.S., UK, France, and Germany to consider introducing a new resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting later this month. European officials have warned that failure to address nuclear concerns could lead to reactivation of the UN “snapback” mechanism under Resolution 2231, which would restore previously lifted UN sanctions. A decision is expected by October.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly threatened military action should diplomacy fail. Trump has also hinted that military options remain “on the table” if no deal is reached. But for now, Iran’s position—firmly restated by Khamenei—is clear: no compromise on enrichment on Iranian soil, no deal without real sanctions relief, and no retreat from nuclear independence.