TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran has reiterated its pledge not to give up its nuclear enrichment program, despite facing international pressure and threats of sanctions. In an exclusive interview with Fox News on Monday, July 21, 2025, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the United States' demand for Iran to cease enrichment completely is unlikely to come to fruition.
"We cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride," Araghchi said. He added, "Our enrichment is so dear to us."
Damage to Nuclear Facilities
Araghchi also confirmed that several Iranian nuclear facilities suffered severe damage from U.S. airstrikes in June. "Our facilities have been damaged—seriously damaged," he said.
However, he refused to provide details on whether any enriched uranium survived the attack. "The extent of which is now under evaluation by our atomic energy organization,” he said.
He acknowledged that the damage had temporarily halted the enrichment process.
According to an NDTV report, before the war broke out, Iran and the United States had undergone five rounds of nuclear talks mediated by Oman. However, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the permissible limits for uranium enrichment.
Iran Rejects U.S. Proposal
Washington had proposed that Iran join a uranium enrichment consortium for civil energy needs, similar to those followed by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This proposal arose because nuclear energy contributes less than one percent of Iran's national energy consumption. However, Iran rejected it.
The rejection was also reaffirmed by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a speech earlier in June, Khamenei referred to Iran's full enrichment capabilities as a source of national pride.
"The number of countries in the world that have achieved a complete nuclear fuel cycle is perhaps fewer than the number of fingers on a person’s two hands,” he said. He emphasized that Iran is capable of producing nuclear fuel from mining to power plants.
Israeli Attack and UN Stance
Tensions escalated after Israel attacked Iran on June 13, in a high-tension war that lasted 12 days before a U.S.-backed ceasefire was reached.
Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while Israel is not. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there is currently no credible evidence that Iran has an active and coordinated nuclear weapons program.
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