US “Delusional” on Nuclear Deal, Iran Speaker Says

State media in Iran reported on Sunday that the nation’s parliament speaker confirmed the newest US nuclear proposal fails to address sanctions relief, indicating a substantial roadblock in ongoing negotiations. The speaker went further, calling the US approach “delusional.” Since April, the two adversaries have engaged in five rounds of talks, mediated by Oman, with the objective of replacing a prior agreement that constrained Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for eased sanctions. That original accord was abandoned by the former US President during his first term in 2018.
In a video broadcast on Iranian television, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asserted that “the US plan does not even mention the lifting of sanctions.” He viewed this as a sign of deceit, accusing the Americans of attempting to dictate a “unilateral” agreement that Tehran would not accept. Ghalibaf urged, “The delusional US president should know better and change his approach if he is really looking for a deal.”
On May 31, subsequent to the fifth round of discussions, Iran confirmed the reception of “elements” of a US proposal, though officials later expressed concerns regarding “ambiguities” within the draft. The US and its Western allies have historically accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim consistently refuted by Iran, which insists its atomic program is exclusively for peaceful purposes.
Critical issues in the negotiations center on the removal of punitive economic sanctions and the contentious matter of uranium enrichment. Tehran argues it possesses the right to enrich uranium under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Conversely, the prior US administration designated any Iranian enrichment a “red line.” The present US administration, which has reinstated its “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions, has consistently maintained that uranium enrichment will not be permitted under any potential deal. Iran’s lead negotiator recently stated the country “will not ask anyone for permission to continue enriching uranium.” The international nuclear monitoring body reports Iran as the sole non-nuclear-weapon state globally enriching uranium up to 60%, short of the 90% threshold for a nuclear warhead. Iran’s supreme leader also rejected the most recent US proposal, stressing that enrichment is fundamental to Iran’s nuclear activities.