Iran warns of reciprocal steps if Western powers pursue 'unconstructive' measures

A member of Iran’s parliament said Monday that Tehran’s right to enrich uranium on its own soil is absolute and cannot be curtailed through diplomacy or international pressure.

“No international law can block Iran’s enrichment activities,” said Ali Khezrian, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.

“The Americans know very well that this right is neither negotiable nor up for discussion.”

Iran accused Israel on Monday of fabricating nuclear weapons allegations to manipulate American foreign policy, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei calling it a political pretext.

“For over 40 years, Israeli officials have said Iran would obtain a nuclear weapon within six months,” Baghaei said. “These warnings have always proven baseless.”

Israel’s aim is to preserve influence over Washington’s regional agenda, he said.

“The Zionist regime wants to ensure its dominance over US policy,” Baghaei said, accusing it of driving wars that “have not benefited the region or the United States, only prolonged crisis.”

The United States has yet to provide any clear assurance on how it will lift sanctions against Iran, the foreign ministry said Monday, accusing Washington of stalling the core issue at the heart of nuclear negotiations.

“Unfortunately, the American side has refused to clarify anything regarding the removal of sanctions,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at his press briefing.

“Our clearest and most important demand in any negotiation with the West is the lifting of sanctions,” Baghaei told reporters.

“The nuclear issue is already clear—we have no weapons program, and we’ve demonstrated that in both word and action.”

“We must have clarity and certainty on how these oppressive sanctions will be removed,” Baghaei said. “We need guarantees that past failures won’t be repeated, and that the lifting of sanctions will be reflected in our actual economic, banking, and trade activity.”

Iran’s foreign ministry defended its nuclear record while accusing the International Atomic Energy Agency of misrepresenting the scope of its cooperation.

“As a responsible member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the IAEA, we have always coordinated our peaceful activities with the agency,” spokesman Esmail Baghaei said during a press briefing.

The spokesman dismissed criticism over Iran’s recent cancellation of a small number of inspector accreditations, calling it a legal step under the agency’s rules.

“To exaggerate the removal of a few inspectors while omitting the presence of 125 others clearly shows a biased and hostile approach,” he said.

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that receiving negotiation texts should not be interpreted as acceptance, adding that Tehran will respond to any offer strictly based on national interests.

“Receiving or accepting a document in no way implies agreement or even that it is acceptable,” ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said at his weekly press briefing.

Baghaei described the exchange of draft texts as standard diplomatic procedure and recalled that Iran had submitted the first formal proposal in past talks.

“Every proposal must be carefully examined, and we will respond based on legal principles and national interest,” he added.