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Iranian officials have accused the United States of making excessive and unrealistic demands in ongoing nuclear negotiations.
Getting into it: The accusations were made by Iran’s chief negotiator, Abbas Aragchi, who said that “success on this path requires seriousness and realism on the part of the other side and avoidance of any miscalculation and excessive demands.” While he did not spell out each demand directly, Iranian officials have made clear they view the United States’ position as overreaching and inconsistent with a balanced agreement. Aragchi had previously described the latest round of indirect talks in Geneva as the “most intense so far” and said they concluded with a “mutual understanding that we will continue to engage in a more detailed manner on matters that are essential to any deal, including sanctions termination and nuclear-related steps.”
According to reports, the Trump administration’s demands include the surrender of all enriched uranium to US custody, zero enrichment capabilities for the foreseeable future, and the total destruction of Iran’s key nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, along with limits on ballistic missiles and an end to support for proxy groups such as Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen. So far, Iranian officials have rejected permanent restrictions on enrichment and the handover of enriched uranium, maintaining that enrichment for civilian purposes is a sovereign right and that missiles and regional partnerships are non-negotiable.
This all comes as Iran has repeatedly stated that it will not initiate a war but stands ready to respond if attacked, underscoring concerns that diplomacy may represent the last opportunity to avert military conflict.
In response, President Trump has warned that there will need to be a “meaningful deal otherwise bad things happen.” He has also criticized Iran’s negotiating tactics, saying that it could ultimately result in the US having to take military action.
