Iran minister says Oman presented elements of US proposal for nuclear deal

CAIRO: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his Omani counterpart presented elements of a US proposal for a nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington during a short visit to Tehran on Saturday.

Araqchi said in a post on X that Iran “will respond to the US proposal in line with the principles, national interests and rights of people of Iran”.

His statement came ahead of an anticipated sixth round of talks between Washington and Tehran to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme. The date and venue of talks have not been yet announced.

According to a confidential UN nuclear watchdog report, Iran has further stepped up its production of highly enriched uranium as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran deems nuclear weapons “unacceptable”.

According to the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seen by AFP, Iran has sharply increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent, close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic weapons.

It said in its quarterly report that Iran has an estimated amount of 408.6 kilogrammes enriched to up to 60 percent as of May 17, up by 133.8 kilogrammes since the last report in February.

Iran’s total amount of enriched uranium now exceeds 45 times the limit authorised by the 2015 agreement with world powers, and is estimated at 9,247.6 kilogrammes.

“The significantly increased production and accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran, the only non-nuclear weapon State to produce such nuclear material, is of serious concern,” the IAEA said.