Mon Jun 30 09:59:24 UTC 2025: ## U.S. Must Rule Out Further Strikes for Nuclear Talks to Resume, Iran Says

**London – June 30, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran remain stalled, with Tehran stating that negotiations cannot resume unless Washington pledges to cease all future strikes on Iranian soil. Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi, in an interview with the BBC on Sunday (June 29, 2025), asserted that while the U.S. has expressed a desire to return to the negotiating table, the recent bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities has created a climate of distrust.

“We have not agreed to any date, we have not agreed to the modality,” Mr. Takht-Ravanchi stated, emphasizing the need for a clear assurance from the U.S. against future acts of aggression. The U.S. strikes on the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites on June 21 followed earlier Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure.

The Deputy Minister also revealed that the U.S. has indicated it “did not want to engage in regime change” by targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He further defended Iran’s right to enrich uranium, stating that while the level and capacity of enrichment are open for discussion, demanding zero enrichment under threat of military action is unacceptable.

The ongoing crisis stems from concerns over Iran’s nuclear program, which Israel alleges is nearing bomb production capability, while Iran maintains its program is for peaceful purposes. The extent of the damage caused by the U.S. strikes remains unclear, despite former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that the facilities were “totally obliterated.” The UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, believes Iran could begin producing enriched uranium “in a matter of months.”

The situation is further complicated by the abandonment of the 2015 nuclear deal by the Trump administration in 2018. In response, Iran began enriching uranium to 60%, exceeding civilian usage levels, a level that, if further refined, could theoretically produce enough material for multiple nuclear weapons. The future of diplomatic relations between the two nations, and the stability of the region, hinges on addressing these critical concerns.

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