Enrichment Has Not Stopped in Iran

Iran's Foreign Minister, emphasizing that enrichment is very valuable to us, said: "We cannot give up on our enrichment program, because it is the achievement of our scientists and beyond that, it is now a matter of our national pride."

News ID: 86473

Date: 22 July 2025 - 09:33

TEHRAN (Defapress) - In an interview with Fox News, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: "We cannot give up our enrichment program, because it is the achievement of our scientists and beyond that, it is now a matter of our national pride; enrichment is very valuable to us."

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In response to a question about the severity of the damage, he stated: "Serious damage has been done to our facilities. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is conducting its own assessment of the severity of this damage, but as far as I know, the damage is very serious."

In response to a question about "Iran's access to its enriched uranium reserves," Araghchi emphasized: "I have no precise information about this issue. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is responsible, and they are conducting their own assessments of the damage and Iran's nuclear materials."

The Iranian foreign minister added: “We will never go to 90% [enrichment]. We are committed to staying below 5% for nuclear power plant fuel. We also enrich up to 20%, because we have a TRR research reactor. We enrich uranium for our own needs.”

In another part of his interview, Araghchi said: “Due to the focus and pressure from Israel and the United States in the past, we had no choice but to protect our facilities, nuclear materials, and scientists. My message to the United States is that let’s find a negotiated solution to Iran’s nuclear program.”

The Fox News host asked if Iran was currently trying to assassinate President Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former Ambassador John Bolton, and other Trump administration officials following the killing of Qassem Soleimani. Araghchi said: “No, we have never said that.” Some people may have said something about this here and there, but this has never been Iran's official position.

The Iranian Foreign Minister also stated: "We have always said and this has been repeated many times by our Leader and other officials that the slogan 'Down with USA' actually refers to the policies of the United States, not to the people of this country, and we do not have a policy of assassinating anyone abroad, let alone the president of another country."