"Iran vows to continue nuclear enrichment indefinitely, says UN envoy"

Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, stated on Sunday that the country’s nuclear enrichment activities "will never cease," as they are permitted for civilian energy purposes under international agreements.

“Enrichment is our right, an unassailable one, and we intend to uphold it,” Iravani told *CBS News*. He noted that Iran remained open to talks but stressed that "unconditional submission is not negotiation. It amounts to imposing demands on us."

However, Iravani added that Tehran was not currently prepared for renewed discussions, citing recent tensions. “After this aggression, conditions are not suitable for further talks, and there’s been no request for negotiations involving the president,” he remarked.

The diplomat also dismissed allegations that Iranian authorities had threatened Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), or its inspectors, who some Iranian officials accuse of aiding Israel’s justifications for attacks. IAEA personnel remain in Iran but are barred from nuclear sites.

When pressed by *CBS*’s Margaret Brennan on whether he denounced calls by Iran-linked media for Grossi’s arrest, Iravani affirmed he would. “There is no threat,” he said, though he acknowledged parliament had halted cooperation with the IAEA. Inspectors, he stated, “remain in Iran safely, but their work is suspended. They lack site access… we believe they have not fulfilled their duties.”

Addressing stalled diplomatic efforts, Iravani criticized past U.S. demands for “unconditional surrender,” stating Washington’s approach amounted to coercion. “If they seek real talks, we are prepared. But dictating terms makes dialogue impossible.”

Iravani reportedly suggested on Saturday that Iran might relocate enriched uranium stocks abroad if an agreement with the U.S. were reached, according to *Al-Monitor*. Transferring uranium enriched to 20% and 60% would not violate Iran’s stance, he said, though keeping it domestically under IAEA oversight remained an option.

Nevertheless, he reiterated Iran’s refusal to abandon its uranium production rights—a key point of contention with Washington.

The remarks follow intensified Western pressure for Iran to restart nuclear talks, days after U.S. military action sparked debate over whether strikes had severely damaged or merely disrupted Iran’s nuclear operations.