Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States but made it clear that Tehran will not yield to American pressure or threats. Speaking in a televised address to naval commanders on Saturday, Pezeshkian declared that while Iran welcomes diplomacy, it will never compromise on what it considers its sovereign and scientific rights.
“We are negotiating, and we will negotiate,” Pezeshkian said. “We are not after war, but we do not fear any threat. It is not like if they threaten us, we will give up our human and definite rights.”
The president emphasized that Iran will not retreat from achievements in military, scientific, or nuclear fields, describing them as “honorable.”
Talks Continue Despite Escalating Rhetoric
Pezeshkian’s remarks come amid a tense period in U.S.-Iran relations, with nuclear negotiations reaching what diplomats describe as the “expert level.” At this stage, technical teams from both sides are working to iron out the fine details of a potential agreement.
One of the most contentious issues remains Iran’s uranium enrichment program. Tehran insists that it must retain the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while the U.S.—particularly under former President Donald Trump—demands full cessation of enrichment as a precondition for lifting sanctions.
Trump, who has repeatedly warned of military action if Iran does not comply, stated on Friday that Tehran was given a proposal during the talks. However, he did not elaborate on its contents. “We cannot and will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,” Trump said during a regional tour earlier in the week.
While U.S. intelligence agencies maintain that Iran is not actively developing a nuclear weapon, they caution that Tehran is now closer than ever to possessing weapons-grade material, should it decide to shift its intentions.
Iran: Nuclear Program is Peaceful and Monitored
Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, echoed Pezeshkian’s sentiments, reiterating that the country’s nuclear activities remain peaceful and are under constant surveillance by international observers.
“No country is monitored by the [International Atomic Energy Agency] like us,” Eslami told state TV. “The agency carried out more than 450 inspections in 2024 alone—that’s about 25% of all global inspections.”
Iran has long emphasized that its nuclear program is designed for medical research, energy production, and other civilian uses. Nevertheless, its accumulation of uranium enriched up to 60%—just shy of weapons-grade—has triggered alarm in Washington, Tel Aviv, and European capitals.
Israel Threatens Military Response
Further intensifying regional tensions, Israel has warned that it may carry out preemptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure if it believes Tehran is nearing weapons capability. This threat, coupled with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, adds yet another layer of volatility to the already unstable Middle East.
Israel’s posture has led to heightened military readiness across the region, particularly in the Gulf and Red Sea, where Western and Iranian naval forces frequently operate in close proximity.
Khamenei Blasts Trump and U.S. Foreign Policy
In his first public response to Trump’s regional visit, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a scathing rebuke of the former U.S. president’s rhetoric and actions.
“Trump said that he wanted to use power for peace. He lied,” Khamenei said in a speech to teachers broadcast on Iranian state television. “He and the U.S. administration used power for massacre in Gaza, for waging wars in any place they could.”
Khamenei accused the United States of arming Israel with 10-ton bombs “to drop on Gaza’s children, hospitals, homes, and people in Lebanon.” He also condemned Washington’s military presence in the Middle East, calling it a destabilizing force that regional nations must work to remove.
“The Zionist regime is a corrupt, dangerous, cancerous tumor,” Khamenei declared. “It should certainly be eradicated, and it will be.”
He further criticized U.S.-aligned Arab states for relying on American support, arguing that this model of foreign dependence has failed. “With efforts of the regional nations, the U.S. should leave the region—and it will leave,” he said emphatically.
U.S.-Iran Nuclear Standoff: A Brief Background
Tensions between Iran and the U.S. over nuclear development are not new. In 2015, Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with world powers, agreeing to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, in 2018, then-President Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the deal, calling it “flawed” and reimposing harsh sanctions on Iran.
Since then, Tehran has steadily rolled back its JCPOA commitments, enriching uranium far beyond the limits set by the agreement and restricting IAEA access to some of its facilities.
Although the Biden administration expressed interest in reviving the JCPOA, progress has stalled amid mutual distrust, domestic political constraints, and escalating regional conflicts, especially the war in Gaza.
What’s Next?
While both sides continue to signal openness to diplomacy, the path to a renewed agreement remains fraught with obstacles. The combination of Trump’s renewed saber-rattling, Israel’s preemptive threats, and Iran’s unyielding stance on enrichment has raised fears that another confrontation could be on the horizon.
Despite this, Pezeshkian remains firm. “We will not easily lose our honorable achievements,” he said, signaling Tehran’s intention to stand its ground regardless of international pressure.
Observers now wait to see whether diplomatic backchannels can prevail over bellicose rhetoric—or whether the Middle East is once again on the verge of a dangerous escalation.
