Iran Offers to Halt Nuclear Program If Sanctions End
Tehran: Iran has indicated that it is ready to permanently halt its nuclear program if the United States completely lifts all economic sanctions imposed on it.
Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on political, military, and nuclear affairs, made the position clear in an interview.
Shamkhani said that Iran is not only ready to give up making nuclear weapons but is also willing to eliminate its stockpile of enriched uranium, limit enrichment to low levels for civilian purposes, and allow full monitoring by international inspectors — provided that all economic sanctions are lifted immediately.
When asked if these conditions are met, would Iran sign the agreement immediately? Ali Shamkhani gave a brief but clear answer: “Yes.”
The statement comes as US President Donald Trump is on a Middle East tour and has appealed to several countries, including Qatar, to cooperate on Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump has asked Qatar, which has been a mediator between the US and Iran in the past, to influence Iran to be willing to sign a deal.
Shamkhani described the US attitude as “a barbed wire instead of an olive branch” and warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would try to sabotage a possible deal.
On the other hand, the US has recently imposed new sanctions on Iran. According to the US Treasury Department, these sanctions have been imposed on 6 individuals and 12 entities that are allegedly involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.
They are accused of being involved in efforts to provide sensitive material to affiliates of the Revolutionary Guards, in conjunction with Iran and China.
Iran has called the sanctions counterproductive to the negotiating environment, saying that while recent talks have been fruitful, new sanctions could damage the process.
President Trump announced last month that he would reimpose a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran, aimed not only at curbing its nuclear program but also at cutting off Iran’s support for proxy groups in the Middle East.
