Iran Insists Missile Limits Prevent Progress in Nuclear Talks

Iran has stated that while the door to nuclear negotiations with the United States remains open, U.S. demands to limit Iran’s missile program are hindering progress. A senior Iranian official made this clear on Tuesday.
Talks between Iran and the U.S. were paused after a 12-day conflict in June, during which Israel and the U.S. targeted Iranian nuclear sites, and Iran responded with multiple ballistic missile attacks on Israel.
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, expressed on social media: “We indeed pursue rational negotiations. By raising unrealisable issues such as missile restrictions, they set a path that negates any talks.”
Western nations worry that Iran’s uranium enrichment could produce material for nuclear weapons and that it may be developing missiles capable of delivering such warheads. Iran maintains its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes like electricity generation and insists it does not pursue missiles designed to carry nuclear arms. Furthermore, Tehran asserts its defense capabilities are non-negotiable in any nuclear discussions.
Larijani’s remarks came shortly after France, Germany, and Britain introduced a “snapback mechanism” to potentially reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear activities. These European countries have called on Iran to return to talks with the U.S. and meet other conditions to delay the reimplementation of sanctions for up to six months.