President Pezeshkian: Iran Ready to Resume Talks on Nuclear Deal

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed the country’s willingness to negotiate the return of all parties to the 2015 nuclear deal. 

“Regarding the nuclear issue, the Islamic Republic of Iran has shown its will to resolve the issue, and today we are ready to negotiate and try to resolve the issue,” Pezeshkian stated during a meeting with European Council President Charles Michel in New York on September 23, according to Iran’s Mehr News Agency.

He emphasized that Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and remains committed to actions that promote peace and security both regionally and globally. In response, Michel encouraged Iran “to play a constructive role in the Palestinian issue, conflicts in Ukraine and reaching an agreement on the nuclear issue.”

Earlier that day, Pezeshkian told a gathering of U.S. media outlets that Iran is open to reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), through “constructive and equal engagement” with all involved parties. However, he expressed frustration with the United States for its withdrawal from the agreement in 2018 and criticized European countries for failing to meet their commitments.

While the U.S. reimposed sanctions after its departure from the deal, attempts to restart negotiations in 2021 ultimately stalled. Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran “will not negotiate under pressure or sanctions, while nuclear weapons have no place in our defense doctrine,” citing a 2003 religious decree by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that prohibits the development of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, during his visit to New York, indicated that Iran is seeking to initiate a new round of talks on its nuclear program. Araqchi also met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi on September 23, with Grossi noting the importance of re-establishing dialogue ahead of his upcoming visit to Tehran.

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Araqchi’s deputy for political affairs, also met with the EU’s coordinator for JCPOA talks, Enrique Mora, to discuss the lifting of sanctions and nuclear-related issues. 

“Iran is prepared to do its part in good faith and address issues of mutual interest and concern via respectful diplomacy,” Takht-Ravanchi stated on X.

The IAEA has repeatedly expressed concerns about Iran’s growing stockpile of uranium enriched to 20% and 60%, as well as the country’s lack of transparency regarding its nuclear activities. Additionally, the U.S. and UK have voiced worries that Russia may be exchanging nuclear and space technology with Iran in return for Iranian ballistic missiles used in the Ukraine conflict. On September 10, the E3 (UK, France, and Germany) and the U.S. imposed sanctions on Iran, accusing Tehran of supplying Moscow with missiles, a claim Iran has consistently denied.

In a speech at the IAEA’s 68th General Conference on September 16, Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), condemned Israel for attempting to “divert public opinion from its own crimes” by falsely accusing Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons.

Iran’s first female government spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, announced on September 24 that the government aims to increase its nuclear power capacity from 1,000 MW to 3,000 MW as part of the country’s seventh development plan. She highlighted the role of knowledge-based companies in achieving this goal.

In 2022, the IAEA Board of Governors censured Iran twice for its alleged lack of cooperation with the agency’s investigations. In response, Iran removed monitoring equipment from several nuclear sites, including cameras, in June of that year. In March 2023, the IAEA discovered uranium particles enriched to 83.7% purity — just below weapons-grade — at Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site. Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment to 3.67% and to cease all enrichment activities at the Fordow facility.

Low-enriched uranium (3-5% U-235) is typically used as fuel for nuclear power plants, while highly enriched uranium (20% or more) is used in research reactors. Weapons-grade uranium requires enrichment of 90% or higher.