At a tense U.N. Security Council session, Iran and the United States both affirmed a preference for diplomacy but remain sharply divided over a nuclear accord. Iran says it still supports the 2015 deal’s core principles, while the U.S. insists on strict limits — including curbs on enrichment. Britain, France and Germany triggered a disputed “snapback” of U.N. sanctions, and the IAEA reports Iran has more than 440 kg of uranium enriched up to 60%, raising concerns about how close Tehran is to weapons-grade material.
U.S. and Iran Reaffirm Diplomacy at the U.N., but Nuclear Deal Divide Widens
FILE - The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building, Feb. 28, 2022, at United Nations Headquarters. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
UNITED NATIONS — Iran and the United States both told the U.N. Security Council they prefer diplomacy, but deep divisions over a potential nuclear agreement remain wide.
The sixth round of talks between Washington and Tehran had been planned for soon after heightened hostilities in the region in June, but those negotiations were later canceled. In September, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, publicly rejected direct nuclear negotiations with the United States.
At Tuesday’s Security Council meeting, Iran’s U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, reiterated Tehran’s willingness to pursue “principled diplomacy and genuine negotiations,” and urged the U.S., Britain and France to “reverse course and take concrete, credible steps to restore trust and confidence.”
Positions Harden
Iravani told the council Iran remains attached to the core principles of the 2015 nuclear agreement — under which Tehran accepted limits on parts of its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief — and argued Washington’s demands undercut those rights.
U.S. Mission Counselor Morgan Ortagus responded that the United States remains available for formal talks but only if Iran agrees to direct, meaningful dialogue and accepts restrictions the U.S. says are essential. She urged Iran to accept diplomacy, using a vivid image: “But instead of taking that hand of diplomacy, you continue to put your hand in the fire,” she said, addressing Iravani directly.
"Iran will not bow down to any pressure and intimidation," Iravani said, while stressing that a U.S. insistence on zero enrichment would be inconsistent with Iran’s rights under the 2015 deal.
Sanctions, Enrichment and the IAEA
In September, Britain, France and Germany — the three European parties to the 2015 deal — invoked a contested "snapback" mechanism intended to restore U.N. sanctions they say were warranted by Iran’s breaches of the accord. Paris defended that move, saying Iran had repeatedly violated limits designed to keep its program peaceful, but French officials emphasized that sanctions do not close the door to diplomacy.
Meanwhile, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that Iran holds more than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent — a technical step short of the roughly 90 percent enrichment typically associated with weapons-grade material. That enrichment increase has heightened international concern and complicated prospects for a return to the 2015 framework.
Russia’s U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, sharply criticized Western diplomacy in a heated exchange, saying Western negotiators had failed to secure a durable agreement with Tehran.
Outlook
The session made clear both sides continue to publicly profess a preference for diplomacy while privately safeguarding hard red lines: the U.S. insisting on strict limits on enrichment and Iran defending perceived rights under the 2015 deal. With mutual distrust high and Tehran’s enrichment levels rising, the path back to a revived agreement remains uncertain.
