TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reaffirmed Tehran’s unwavering stance on its right to enrich uranium, saying the Islamic Republic will not compromise on its legal entitlements under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), even as it remains open to constructive dialogue.

Speaking during a joint session with representatives of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs—hosted Friday night by Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization—Araghchi said Iran is prepared to build confidence around the peaceful nature of its nuclear program but will not accept any limits that go beyond the NPT framework.

“As a founding advocate for a nuclear-weapons-free zone in West Asia and a long-time NPT member, Iran has shown good faith by engaging in indirect talks with the United States,” he said. “But the Iranian nation cannot forfeit its legitimate right to peaceful nuclear technology, including enrichment, which is enshrined in the NPT.”

Araghchi emphasized the cost Iran has borne in defense of that right, recalling the decades of sanctions and the assassination of several of the country’s nuclear scientists.

“For over thirty years, Iranians have endured economic pressure and made deep sacrifices to secure national independence and nuclear self-sufficiency,” he noted. “The blood of our brightest youth was shed in this path—sacrifices that cannot be disregarded.”

He also paid tribute to the scientists who lost their lives, underscoring Iran’s determination to continue its peaceful nuclear pursuits while remaining engaged with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other stakeholders to foster transparency and trust.

In his remarks, Araghchi criticized the shifting and contradictory positions of the United States, attributing the inconsistent messaging to internal divisions influenced by Israeli pressure.

“It’s now evident that anti-diplomacy elements in Washington, acting in coordination with Netanyahu’s dangerous agenda, are actively undermining progress,” he said. “Internal politics are one thing, but allowing hardline factions to hijack negotiations through constant framework changes is both unproductive and unacceptable.”

The Pugwash Conferences, recipients of the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize, are an international initiative that brings together scientists and policymakers to reduce the risks of armed conflict and develop evidence-based security solutions, especially concerning nuclear and WMD threats.

Iran and the U.S. have held four rounds of indirect, Oman-mediated negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. While both sides have described the talks as positive, Iran has rejected Western demands that are deemed as excessive—particularly calls for a complete halt to uranium enrichment—in exchange for sanctions relief.