Iran Rejects U.S. Proposal to Suspend Sanctions for Three-Month Enrichment Halt
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the United States had asked Tehran to completely halt uranium enrichment in exchange for a three-month suspension of sanctions, a proposal Iran rejected.
Speaking before leaving New York after the annual UN General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Washington expected Iran to “hand over all uranium enrichment” in return for only a short-term sanctions relief, calling the offer “unacceptable.”
The U.S. proposal came as the UN Security Council rejected a resolution put forward by China and Russia aimed at blocking the activation of the so-called “snapback” mechanism. That resolution, intended to prevent the reimposition of international sanctions on Iran, failed with nine votes against, four in favor, and two abstentions.
Under UN regulations, the snapback mechanism will take effect on September 28. The mechanism restores all previous UN sanctions on Iran if it is deemed to be violating nuclear commitments.
Previous indirect talks between Iran and the U.S., mediated by Oman, collapsed following Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. The Taliban administration has not yet taken a clear stance on international nuclear developments.
In his remarks, Pezeshkian stressed that the wall of mistrust between Iran and the U.S. is “higher than ever.” He pointed to repeated agreements reached with Washington that were later disregarded by the American side, particularly under Donald Trump’s administration.
Despite the tense climate, Tehran says it continues to support diplomatic channels but insists any future talks must include guarantees against further violations of its sovereignty. Iran argues that U.S. provocations and those of its allies have not only derailed negotiations but also heightened regional security risks.
