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Iran's Khamenei refuses US nuclear demands, vows to continue enriching uranium

Ayatollah Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, said that Tehran would not abandon its uranium-enrichment program, and rejected a U.S. request aimed at ending a decades long nuclear dispute. He said the demand was against Iran's interests.

The U.S. proposal to a

new nuclear deal

Oman, the Middle East envoy of President Donald Trump, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, presented a letter to Iran on Sunday.

Iran insists on maintaining its uranium-enrichment program on its own soil, and Tehran refuses to send its entire stockpile of highly-enriched uranium abroad - a possible raw material for nuclear weapons.

Khamenei stated in a speech broadcast that "Uranium Enrichment is the key for our nuclear program and the enemies are focused on enrichment." He said that the U.S. proposal was "incompatible with our nation's belief of self-reliance, and its principle 'We Can.'"

"The rude, arrogant and smug leaders of America have repeatedly demanded that we not have a nuke programme. "Who are you to decide if Iran should enrich?," he continued.

Tehran has denied for years that it was seeking to develop nuclear weapons and says it only wants to master the technology to use it peacefully.

On Monday,

Reports that Tehran is ready to reject

The U.S. proposal was rejected by Iran on the basis that it failed to meet Tehran's needs or soften Washington's position on uranium-enrichment.

Since his return to the White House, Trump has re-launched his "maximum press" campaign against Tehran. This included tightening the sanctions and threatening to bombard Iran if negotiations fail.

Trump, during his first term as president in 2018, renounced the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six major powers. He also reimposed economic sanctions on Iran that have crippled its economy. Iran responded by increasing enrichment beyond the limits of the nuclear pact.

Israel, Iran's arch enemy, sees the Islamic Republic's nuke programme as a threat to its existence and has threatened to bomb Iran's facilities in order to stop Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons. (Written by Nayera Abadallah and Parisa Haffezi, edited by Jacqueline Wong & Andrew Heavens).

(source: Reuters)