Key points: Iran says negotiations with the US and its allies are unlikely after Washington, Tehran claims, set “maximalist demands.” Tehran maintains channels with the IAEA but says enrichment is paused following claims that facilities were damaged in June. A leaked IAEA report says inspectors cannot verify a 60% enriched uranium stockpile and requests inspections at seven sites including Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Iranian officials warned a Europe‑backed IAEA resolution would close diplomatic options rather than increase pressure.
Iran Says Negotiations Unlikely as West Steps Up Pressure Over Nuclear Program
Key points: Iran says negotiations with the US and its allies are unlikely after Washington, Tehran claims, set “maximalist demands.” Tehran maintains channels with the IAEA but says enrichment is paused following claims that facilities were damaged in June. A leaked IAEA report says inspectors cannot verify a 60% enriched uranium stockpile and requests inspections at seven sites including Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Iranian officials warned a Europe‑backed IAEA resolution would close diplomatic options rather than increase pressure.
12:45 AM, 11/17/2025Security
Tehran: Talks Appear Out of Reach as Pressure Mounts
Iranian officials say the United States and its allies are pursuing a hardline approach to Tehran’s nuclear programme, making near‑term negotiations unlikely. At a news conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the Trump administration of presenting what he called “maximalist demands,” saying Washington’s stance does not signal readiness for an equal, mutually beneficial negotiation.
Araghchi spoke on the sidelines of the state‑organised Tehran Dialogue Forum, attended by regional diplomats and envoys. He also said neighbouring countries have been conveying mediation messages aimed at preserving calm, and that he had sent a letter to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani addressing Iran, a Gaza ceasefire and other regional issues.
IAEA Contact, Inspections and Claims About Attacks
Tehran says formal channels remain open with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran’s envoy in Vienna met IAEA representatives on Friday together with counterparts from China and Russia. Araghchi reiterated that Iran views its right to peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment, as indisputable and said enrichment activity is currently paused because, he claimed, some enrichment facilities were attacked.
Last week a confidential IAEA report was leaked to Western media, reporting that the agency has been unable to verify Iran’s stockpile of 60%‑enriched uranium since facilities were reportedly damaged in June. The IAEA has requested “long overdue” inspections of seven sites struck during the conflict, naming Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan among them. Iran has granted IAEA access to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor, but says security and safety conditions have prevented inspections at other locations where high‑enriched uranium remains stored.
Diplomatic Fallout and Possible New Resolution
Over the weekend Iranian officials signalled that France, the United Kingdom and Germany — parties to the now‑defunct 2015 nuclear deal — may be preparing an Iran‑focused resolution for the IAEA board. Tehran warns a new Europe‑backed resolution would not increase pressure on Iran but would further close diplomatic channels. Iran has previously escalated enrichment after censure resolutions; Iranian officials also said Israel launched attacks in June a day after the IAEA approved a European‑tabled resolution they argued found Tehran non‑compliant.
Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy for international and legal affairs at Iran’s foreign ministry, said Iran “reserves the right to reconsider its approaches” if a new resolution advances and accused the European effort of being US‑backed and excluding China and Russia from dialogue.
Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s nuclear programme, criticised the IAEA for what he called political bias and double standards, saying the agency did not condemn the attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites — which, he added, were unprecedented because the sites were under agency supervision.
Defence Posture and Regional Tensions
Iran’s Defence Minister Amir Hatami told lawmakers that the armed forces have been continuously improving defence capabilities following the 12‑day conflict with Israel. Tensions remain high: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed on Saturday that it seized a Cyprus‑registered tanker that had passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
What happens next: The IAEA is likely to seek access to the remaining sites it listed for inspection, while diplomatic activity — including potential European action at the IAEA board — could further shape Tehran’s response and the region’s security dynamics.