Washington, April 8 (IANS) The White House has set a firm condition ahead of negotiations with Iran, insisting that Tehran must end uranium enrichment inside its territory as a non-negotiable red line in any future agreement.
The demand will anchor upcoming talks with Iranian officials, as Washington moves from military operations to a diplomatic phase following a fragile ceasefire.
“The President’s red lines, namely the end of Iranian enrichment in Iran, have not changed,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a news conference here.
She stressed that the administration would not accept any deal that allows Iran to continue enrichment activities, signalling a hardline position going into negotiations.
The issue of highly enriched uranium is expected to be at the centre of discussions, with the United States prioritising its removal or neutralisation.
“This is on the top of the priority list for the President and his negotiating team as they head into this next round of discussions,” Leavitt said.
She added that Washington is seeking to resolve the issue through diplomacy but remains firm on its core demands.
“We hope it will be through diplomacy,” she said, referring to the effort to address Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
The administration indicated that Iran has shown some willingness to engage on the issue, raising cautious expectations ahead of the talks.
Asked whether Tehran had given any indication it would hand over enriched uranium, Leavitt responded: “Yes.”
The negotiations are expected to take place in Islamabad, where a US delegation led by Vice President J.D. Vance will meet Iranian representatives as part of a two-week diplomatic window following the ceasefire.
Washington has framed the talks as a continuation of pressure built through its military campaign against Iran, which it says forced Tehran to the negotiating table.
“The President’s maximum pressure and the leverage created by the success of Operation Epic Fury led to the Iranian regime asking for and ultimately agreeing to a ceasefire proposal with the United States,” Leavitt said.
Despite the shift to diplomacy, the White House warned that the situation remains volatile.
“This is a fragile truce. Ceasefires are fragile by nature,” Leavitt said, noting that disruptions on the ground could affect the pace and outcome of negotiations.
–IANS
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