Khamenei doubts nuclear talks with US will lead to agreement

In Tehran, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly voiced skepticism about the potential for a new agreement in ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States. His remarks were delivered during a memorial for the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who passed away in a helicopter crash a year prior. Khamenei characterized the US demands related to uranium enrichment as excessive and outrageous, highlighting a significant source of contention in the discussions. The background of these negotiations stems from the deteriorating relations between Iran and the US, especially following the Trump administration's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. In that agreement, Iran had committed to limiting its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, and it could only enrich uranium to a maximum purity of 3.67%. However, in retaliation for the reinstatement of crippling sanctions by the US, Iran has progressively exceeded those limits and has reported stockpiling a substantial amount of highly-enriched uranium that is near weapons-grade levels. As the new round of nuclear talks looms, Khamenei expressed a lack of optimism, recalling the failures of previous negotiations during the moderate Hassan Rouhani's presidency. He emphasized that no significant outcome is anticipated from the current discussions, reflecting a broader frustration within Iran regarding the stalled negotiations. Despite the ongoing talks, Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, indicated that there has been no definitive decision concerning the next round, citing the shifting and contradictory positions of the US side as a complicating factor. In light of these developments, Khamenei firmly stated that Iran would not seek permission from the US to enrich uranium, asserting the Islamic Republic's intention to uphold its policies without external influence. This situation illustrates the deep-seated tensions and complex dynamics that define US-Iran relations, especially in the context of nuclear diplomacy. The challenge remains for both sides to find common ground amidst a landscape marked by mistrust and conflicting demands.