No nuclear deal if deprived of ‘peaceful activities’

Iran said yesterday it will not accept a nuclear agreement that deprives it of what it calls "peaceful activities", a reference to uranium enrichment, as it pressed the United States for guarantees it will drop sanctions.

Uranium enrichment has remained a key point of contention between the foes, in talks to seal a nuclear deal since April, with Iran defending what it says is its pursuit of a civil nuclear programme but with the US side calling it a "red line".

Speaking in Cairo, where he met the UN nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said: "If the goal is to deprive Iran of its peaceful activities, then certainly no agreement will be reached."

Araghchi insisted that Iran has "nothing to hide" on its nuclear programme. "Iran has a peaceful nuclear programme... we are prepared to provide this assurance to any party or entity," he said.

The remarks came after Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) yesterday called for more transparency from Iran following a leaked report that showed Tehran had stepped up uranium enrichment.