Iran on Sunday reacted after reports alleging that the country was continuing to enrich its uranium after US conducted strikes on its nuclear enrichment sites in June during its conflict with Israel. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi rejected such reports and declared that there was “no undeclared nuclear enrichment,” citing attacks on the sites as the reason.“There is no undeclared nuclear enrichment in Iran. All of our facilities are under the safeguards and monitoring” of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said. “There is no enrichment right now because our enrichment facilities have been attacked,” AP quoted him saying.Responding to whether Tehran would continue negotiations with US, he said, “Iran’s right for enrichment, for peaceful use of nuclear technology, including enrichment, is undeniable. We have this right and we continue to exercise that and we hope that the international community, including the United States, recognize our rights and understand that this is an inalienable right of Iran and we would never give up our rights.”Last month, Iran cut ties with the IAEA after Britain, France and Germany triggered the JCPOA’s snapback mechanism, restoring sweeping UN sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.Then, Araghchi had said the reimposed penalties, combined with rising military tensions and what he called Western “unreasonable demands,” had fundamentally altered the conditions for continued monitoring under the Cairo Agreement. The snapback sanctions reinstated broad restrictions on Iran’s economy and defense sectors, targeting individuals, companies and institutions tied to nuclear or missile activity and banning the supply of related equipment, expertise or financing.
