Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday called U.S. demands that Tehran stop enriching uranium entirely “utter nonsense” and questioned whether future nuclear talks could succeed.
“For the Americans to say, ‘We won’t allow Iran to enrich uranium,’ is utter nonsense,” he said in a post on X. “We aren’t waiting for anyone’s permission.
“The Islamic Republic has certain policies, and it will pursue them,” he added, without expanding on what these policies are.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies has analyzed where Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is located as Israel mulls a retaliatory attack. (Image provided by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) )
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s questions over whether it has in fact demanded that Tehran halt all uranium enrichment.
However, Khamenei suggested the Trump administration’s push to negotiate on Iran’s nuclear program could be short-lived.
“Indirect negotiations took place during Martyr Raisi’s term similar to what’s happening now. Needless to say, there was no result,” he added in reference to negotiation attempts under the Biden administration. “We don’t think these negotiations will yield results now either. We don’t know what will happen.”
Reports suggested that the fifth round of nuclear talks could take place this weekend in Rome, but Khamenei, as well as his Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, said Iran had not yet agreed to the talks following the U.S.’ latest demands.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves to the crowd during a meeting with officials, the Islamic countries’ ambassador to Iran and a group of people in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, March 31, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
“A date has been suggested, but we have not yet accepted it,” Araqchi told reporters Tuesday, according to a Reuters report. “We are witnessing positions on the U.S. side that do not go along with any logic and are creating problems for the negotiations.
“That’s why we have not determined the next round of talks, we are reviewing the matter and hope logic will prevail,” Araqchi added.
