Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed U.S. threats of sanctions and military action on Monday, declaring that Tehran could withstand the collapse of nuclear negotiations. “It’s not like we will die of hunger if they refuse to negotiate or impose sanctions,” Pezeshkian stated, emphasizing Iran’s resolve to pursue its nuclear program despite mounting pressure.
His remarks followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that weekend talks in Rome were “very good,” though both sides remain deeply divided on core issues like Iran's right to uranium enrichment.
The fifth round of Oman-mediated talks concluded last week with limited progress, as Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected reports of a potential three-year enrichment freeze as “totally false”. Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei ruled out interim deals, insisting any agreement must respect Iran’s “rights” to civilian nuclear energy and domestic uranium enrichment.
The U.S. seeks to fully stop Iran’s domestic uranium enrichment, which Trump claims could be used to produce nuclear weapons. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60% purity—near weapons-grade levels—though it denies pursuing nuclear weapons, stating its program is meant for civilian use. Washington demands enrichment cease entirely, while Tehran insists on maintaining its program for energy needs, with a minimum enrichment level of 3.67% deemed 'acceptable' for Iran.
Oman, a trusted mediator since the 2015 JCPOA negotiations, is coordinating a possible sixth round of talks. Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesmsan Ismael Baqaei noted that Iran awaits further details from Muscat, but warned that progress hinges on U.S. “goodwill”. Meanwhile, Trump has threatened “crippling” sanctions and airstrikes if talks fail, with U.S. aircraft carriers stationed in the Arabian Sea as a show of force.
Iran faces economic turmoil, with its domestic currency, the rial, plummeting amid decades of sanctions. While the currency has stabilized slightly amid the US-Iran talks, fears of renewed protests over inflation and mandatory hijab laws loom. Regional allies like Hezbollah and Hamas have also been weakened, leaving Tehran increasingly isolated internationally.
Negotiators have floated ideas like a regional uranium consortium or fuel-swap arrangements, but Iran has squarely rejected enrichment outside its borders, insisting on the right to domestic uranium enrichment. Analysts suggest a renewed JCPOA-style deal with enhanced IAEA inspections might offer a middle ground, but the JCPOA is widely seen as 'no longer satisfactory' for both the U.S. and Iran.