Iran Calls US Demands Limit Iran's Missiles To Negotiate Nuclear Programs

JAKARTA - The path to nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States has not been closed, but US demands for Iranian missile restrictions have hampered the prospect of negotiations.

The Iran-US sixth round of negotiations were suspended following the start of the 12-day war in June, in which Israel and the US attacked Iran and Iran nuclear facilities in retaliation with a wave of ballistic missiles against Israel.

"We are indeed seeking rational negotiations. By raising unrealistic issues such as missile restrictions, they set a route that eliminates any negotiations," said Iran's Secretary of the Highest National Security Council, Ali Larijani, in a post on X.

Western countries fear Iran's uranium enrichment program could produce material for atomic warheads and Iran seeks to develop ballistic missiles to carry them.

Iran says its nuclear program is only for power generation and other civilian use, and Iran enriches uranium as fuel for that purpose.

Iran denies seeking to create missiles capable of carrying nuclear payloads and says its defense capabilities cannot be negotiated in any negotiations regarding its atomic program.

Larijani's statement follows last week's launch of a snapshot mechanism by France, Germany and the UK that could reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran regarding its nuclear program.

The three countries, also known as E3, have urged Iran to engage in nuclear negotiations with the US, among other conditions, so that the implementation of a snapshotback sanction can be delayed by up to six months.