Iran can withstand more sanctions without US talks, president says

“Enrichment is an inseparable part of Iran’s nuclear industry and must be maintained. We are in no way permitted to show even the slightest flexibility on this issue,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Monday speaking at a press conference.

Baghaei denied reports suggesting Iran could freeze enrichment for three years to secure a deal.

“Iran will never accept that,” he said, adding that no date had yet been set for a sixth round of talks with Washington.

Baghaei's remarks come a day come after US President Donald Trump said that “real progress” had been made in recent talks with Iran and suggested there could be “some good news” in the coming days.

“Very importantly, we had some very good talks with Iran yesterday and today, and let's see what happens. But I think we could have some good news on the Iran front. We've had some real progress, serious progress," Trump told reporters in New Jersey before departing for Washington.

Referring to his threats in March that if a deal was not struck within a two-month deadline, there would be "bombing like they have never seen before", Trump said he hopes the diplomatic paths succeed.

"I’d love that to happen because I’d love to see no bombs dropped and a lot of people dead. I really would like to see that happen.”

Baghaei for his part said Iran is awaiting further details from mediator Oman regarding the next meeting. “If there is goodwill from the American side, we are also optimistic, but if talks are aimed at curbing Iran's rights then talks will get nowhere,” he added.

He said that if Washington's aim is simply to ensure Iran’s program remains non-military, that has already been achieved. “But if the goal is to deprive Iran of its rights, we do not believe this process will reach any outcome,” he said.

Enrichment remains a red line for Tehran. Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching uranium to 60% U-235, a level that causes "serious concern," according to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

The IAEA has consistently maintained that there is no credible civilian use for uranium enriched to this level, which is a short technical step from weapons-grade 90% fissile material.

Iran's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium had increased to 275 kg, enough to theoretically make about half a dozen weapons if Iran further enriches the uranium.

The award for his film It Was Just an Accident, hailed as a milestone for Iranian cinema and a symbolic victory for freedom of expression, also sparked harsh criticism from pro-government media in Iran.

Panahi, a former political prisoner banned from travel and filmmaking for over a decade, received a standing ovation at the award ceremony.

The Palme d'Or was presented by acclaimed actress Cate Blanchett on Saturday night. In his acceptance speech, Panahi struck a unifying tone, calling on Iranians inside and outside the country to "set aside our differences" and work collectively toward democracy, dignity and human rights.

“Let no one tell us what to wear, what to do or what films to make,” he said, drawing repeated applause from the audience.

The moment was described by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot as a "symbolic act of resistance" against repression. “Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or revives hope for freedom fighters around the world,” Barrot wrote on X.

A national and global moment

The win drew emotional reactions from across Iranian political and artistic figures at home and abroad.

Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi, writing from inside Iran, described Panahi as a “brave and distinguished director” whose recognition was the result of years of relentless effort to deepen human and civil values through art.

Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled heir to Iran’s former monarchy, congratulated Panahi and called the award a “great honor for Iran.” He expressed hope that Iranian filmmakers could one day work “without censorship or restriction” in their homeland.

Iranian activist Hamed Esmaeilion called Panahi a “true hero,” praising his resilience in the face of censorship and repression. “His courage inspires all who fight for justice and freedom,” he said.

Political prisoner Mehdi Mahmoudian, speaking from Tehran’s Evin Prison, said the award was “not just a cinematic honor, but a victory of truth over censorship.”

Iranian-British actress Nazanin Boniadi also praised Panahi’s speech, calling him a “unifying voice” at a time when Iranians are searching for solidarity and vision.

The wave of celebration was echoed by 135 civil, political, and cultural activists, who issued a joint statement lauding Panahi as a symbol of artistic integrity and human rights advocacy.

The statement said that Panahi had joined a rare class of filmmakers alongside legends like Michelangelo Antonioni and Robert Altman—to win all three major European film prizes: the Golden Bear (Berlin), Golden Lion (Venice), and now the Palme d’Or (Cannes).

Film made in defiance

It Was Just an Accident, a political thriller, was shot clandestinely in Iran without government authorization and in open defiance of mandatory hijab laws.

The film’s production and Panahi’s public defiance of censorship laws have drawn admiration from international film communities and rights groups.

The Cannes jury also awarded Panahi the Festival’s Citizenship Prize, recognizing his broader contributions to freedom of expression.

An increasing number of Iranian filmmakers are defying the country's strict ideological censorship by making movies without seeking the Culture Ministry's permission for screening abroad.

Last year, prominent Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi said he will not produce any films in Iran until the ban on showing women without headscarves is lifted, as people demand.

Official backlash in Tehran

Inside Iran, however, the award was met with either silence or anger from state-linked outlets.

The conservative daily Farhikhtegan, affiliated with Islamic Azad University, dismissed the honor with the headline: “Palme d’Or Turns to Rust”.

The editorial accused European film festivals of orientalist bias and suggested that Panahi’s acclaim was driven by political motives rather than artistic merit.

The Student News Agency (SNN) went further, branding Panahi a “middleman” and “Iran-seller.” It called the ceremony a “political show” orchestrated by “PR marketers.”

Despite the criticism, Panahi’s victory has reignited conversations around freedom of expression, artistic resistance, and national unity among Iranians worldwide.

As he left the stage in Cannes, Panahi expressed a simple hope: “I dream of an Iran where artists are not silenced, where truth has no borders, and where no one lives in fear for telling a story.”

“Although I had no intention of publicly declaring this in such explicit terms, the SNSC has formally written to the Parliament, directing us not to promulgate the hijab and chastity law for now," Ghalibaf told lawmakers.

His remarks came in response to a demand from hardline MP Mohammad-Taghi Naghdali, who urged the Speaker to forward the bill for executive enforcement.

The legislation—officially titled The Law to Support the Family by Promoting Chastity and Hijab—was passed by Parliament in December 2023 but has remained unenforced amid internal disagreements and widespread public opposition at home and abroad. The United Nations said the proposal amounted to "gender apartheid".

Ghalibaf emphasized that, under Article 176 of Iran’s Constitution, the SNSC has overriding authority on matters of national security.

“When the Council issues a directive of this nature, the Speaker has no legal authority to proceed with enforcement,” he said.

Behind-the-scenes power struggles

The decision underscores an intensifying struggle between Iran’s ultra-conservative factions, who demand immediate enforcement, and state institutions seeking to avoid further social unrest.

In recent months, hardliners and religious vigilante groups have mounted increasing pressure on authorities to enforce the law, even staging sit-ins outside Parliament that were eventually broken up by police.

Mohammad-Mannan Raisi, a firebrand MP closely aligned with the ultraconservative Paydari (Steadfastness) Front, recently accused the SNSC of betraying the Islamic Republic’s core supporters by halting enforcement of what he called “God’s commandments.”

The SNSC’s September 2024 decision to quietly shelve the law followed a wave of public backlash, echoing the protests that erupted in 2022 after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. The unrest marked one of the most significant challenges to the Islamic Republic in decades.

Surveillance without legislation

While the law itself remains suspended, authorities have pursued enforcement by other means.

Since late March, women in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan have reported receiving text-message warnings for alleged hijab violations detected via surveillance footage.

Activists and digital rights experts say the messages are powered by AI-enabled facial recognition systems, cross-referenced with government ID databases and mobile phone data.

Critics have condemned the approach as unconstitutional and ethically fraught.

“Does the Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice even have legal access to people’s personal data?” asked Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, a former government spokesman and law professor, in a popular post on X.

In March, the UN's Fact Finding Mission on Iran said, "surveillance online was a critical tool for State repression," including against those rejecting the mandatory hijab.

"This enforcement increasingly relies on technology, surveillance and even State-sponsored vigilantism," the investigators said, with methods including dedicated apps to report violators and the monitoring of social media.

Despite government denials, the crackdown has continued.

In April, Iran’s police signed a cooperation agreement with the Education Ministry allowing enforcement measures in schools, sparking backlash from teachers’ unions who warned of “militarizing education.”

The standoff over hijab enforcement highlights deeper political dilemmas which continue to challenge Iran’s clerical leadership.

Public defiance continues to rise. Across major cities, women are increasingly seen without headscarves in public spaces, often posting videos online in acts of civil disobedience.

As Arab states astride the Persian Gulf prosper, Iran remains mired in grievance, repression and decline, according to former Palestinian peace negotiator Ghaith al-Omari on Eye for Iran.

“The Persian Gulf is non-ideological. Their leaders say, ‘My job is how to make life better for my people.’ This is completely incompatible with the ideological mindset—including in Iran,” al-Omari said.

As Saudi Arabia and the UAE surge ahead—reimagining their economies and societies—Iran clings to a narrative rooted in the past.

“What is the narrative coming from the Iranian regime? It’s a narrative of grievance... rooted in the past, in both past grievances and past glory... not a view of prosperity.”

Al-Omari said the Middle East is undergoing a seismic shift, with Persian Gulf countries becoming the “center of gravity” in the region—and Trump recognizing and seizing that opportunity.

Decades of neglect

During his speech at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Riyadh on May 13, 2025, President Trump drew a sharp contrast between the trajectories of Saudi Arabia and Iran. The president anccused Iran’s leadership for mismanaging the country and funding terrorism, while praising the transformation of its neighbors.

“Iran's decades of neglect and mismanagement have left the country plagued by rolling blackouts lasting for hours a day. All the time, you hear about it. While your skill has turned dry deserts into fertile farmland, Iran's leaders have managed to turn green farmland into dry deserts, as their corrupt water mafia—it's called the water mafia—causes droughts and empty riverbeds,” said Trump.

His remarks resonated with many Iranians, long critical of Tehran's failures. The speech reinforced a new US posture in the region—one that rewards progress and punishes destabilization.

Trump’s Persian Gulf tour also produced sweeping economic and defense agreements.

A $142 billion arms deal was signed, the largest defense cooperation agreement in US-Saudi history. It includes cutting-edge warfighting technology and signals a shift in US strategic posture.

Saudi Arabia committed to investing $600 billion in the United States across energy, defense, mining, and other sectors.

Taken together, these moves represent a strategic pivot: away from traditional diplomacy, and toward a model focused on mutual economic and security interests.

And one in which Iran—after its unprecedented direct missile attack on Israel last year—is increasingly isolated and weakened.

Even Syria adapts—leaving Tehran more isolated

Even Syria—long seen as a spoiler in regional affairs—is signaling a shift.

"Syria has been a spoiler in the region since the 1970s," said al-Omari. "Now Syria is not a spoiler."

Trump's outreach to Damascus, despite its authoritarian legacy, underscores the extent to which even old adversaries are repositioning themselves in a changing Middle East. As others pivot toward stability and integration, Tehran's confrontational stance risks leaving it behind.

Qatar

Qatar was also a focal point of Trump’s tour.

Qatar Airways agreed to purchase up to 210 planes from Boeing. Trump described it as “the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing.”

He also accepted a Boeing 747-8 aircraft from the Qatari government, valued at roughly $400 million. Trump said it would be “stupid” to turn it down, framing it as a donation to the US Department of Defense, not for personal use. The move sparked backlash, even among Trump’s own supporters.

Al-Omari criticized Qatar’s influence strategy, noting its financial clout and controversial alliances.

“Qatar is a very problematic actor. Qatar has been the supporter of Hamas, the supporter of Muslim Brotherhood, the supporter of disruption throughout the region.”

He added that while Persian Gulf countries all have relations with Iran, “Qatar has partnership with Iran in many ways. That’s different.”

Trump made headlines when, during a state dinner in Doha, he said: “Iran should say a big thank you to the Emir, because he's fighting for them.”

He also reportedly asked the Qatari government to push Iran toward a nuclear deal.

“The Qataris like these problematic relations to be behind the scenes, to be hush-hush," said al-Omari on Eye for Iran, "Trump being Trump, he doesn't like to play this subtle behind the scenes game. He says it as it is."

A new era of American diplomacy

Al-Omari said Trump’s approach marks a sharp departure from previous presidents like Barack Obama.

“Trump sees the region through a transactional lens. Obama focused on moral lectures. Trump prefers investment and deals—but keeps military options on the table, especially when it comes to Iran.”

The administration wants Iran to integrate into this future-oriented regional order—but warns of consequences if it doesn’t.

“There’s an opportunity for Iran if it wants to take it,” said al-Omari. “The region is changing—but not at any price.”

You can watch the full episode of Eye for Iran featuring Ghaith al-Omari on YouTube or listen on any major podcast platform like Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Castbox.

The project, launched by CPAC in partnership with the United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), aims to mobilize members of the Iranian diaspora to advocate for human rights, religious freedom, and increased pressure on the Islamic Republic.

CPAC has been a key driver of grassroots support for US President Donald Trump by organizing popular conferences. UANI is an influential advocacy group whose chairman is former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush.

“We want to get together all these great voices in the exile community and put a real pressure point on the regime in Iran,” CPAC organizer Matt Schlapp told Iran International.

“There should be great unity amongst people who believe in freedom, religious tolerance, human rights to really put pressure on Iran.”

Schlapp said CPAC is committed to helping create a “new version of the maximum pressure campaign,” referring to the Trump administration’s policy against Tehran.

In 2018, during his first term in office, Trump withdrew the United States from the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and imposed his so-called "maximum pressure" sanctions on Tehran.

The sanctions effectively reduced Iran’s oil exports to as little as 150,000 barrels per day. However, oil sales rebounded to at least 1.5 million barrels per day during the Biden administration.

In February this year, Trump reinstated the maximum pressure campaign, aiming to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero, "deny Iran all paths to a nuclear weapon, and counter Iran’s malign influence abroad."

Since early April, Iran and the US have held five rounds of negotiations mediated by Oman to resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program. The two sides have agreed to hold a sixth round in the near future, American officials said on Friday.

Iranian diaspora's engagement with Trump administration

UANI, which co-launched the initiative, said in a press release that the project will offer a forum for "civil and respectful debate" across the diverse Iranian diaspora.

“The group will provide direct access to policymakers, including senior Trump administration officials, and support those in the diaspora who oppose the Islamist ideology of the Ayatollahs and who support Iran’s territorial integrity," the statement added.

Jason Brodsky, the UANI's policy director, told Iran International that “CPAC for Iranians in Exile will provide the diverse Iranian diaspora with a unique platform to engage with senior Trump administration officials and US policymakers in Washington to discuss Iran policy and an Iran free from the Ayatollah.”

UANI chairman Mark Wallace also said “The Iranian people, who have suffered under the Ayatollah’s rule for 46 years, have not had a consistent platform to be heard. This initiative is an effort to change that and ensure their voices are not just heard but engaged with.”

The CPAC for Iranians in Exile website calls the platform "a defining opportunity for the Iranian people in their courageous fight to end the despotic rule of the Ayatollah and his cronies."

"All of us are committed to see the end of the Ayatollah’s totalitarian Islamist dictatorship."

CPAC for Iranians in Exile says it will be hosting its inaugural conference later this year in Washington DC with the participation of senior US administration officials and policymakers.