Nuclear showdown: Iran refuses to halt uranium enrichment 

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said today (Wednesday) that a new U.S. proposal aimed at reviving the nuclear deal runs counter to Tehran’s national interests and made clear that the Islamic Republic will not abandon its uranium enrichment efforts.

Speaking during a nationally broadcast address, Khamenei declared that uranium enrichment remains “an essential part” of Iran’s nuclear program. The issue has been a major sticking point in negotiations between Tehran and Washington, with the two sides unable to reach consensus on key terms.

Just days earlier, an Iranian diplomat told Reuters that Tehran was preparing to reject the latest U.S. offer, calling it a “non-starter” that fails to ease Washington’s hardline position or account for Iran’s core demands.

Tehran maintains that its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful and aimed at mastering civilian nuclear technology. It has long denied allegations by Western powers that it is pursuing a nuclear weapons capability.