Iran clings to uranium and complains of starvation and 'bomb diplomacy'

Amid the fog shrouding the diplomatic track led by Qatar between the United States and Iran, the Iranian regime insists on retaining its highly enriched uranium and refuses to transfer it to any guarantor state. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, for betting on an escalation of “economic strangulation,” arguing that such a policy would ultimately starve the most hardline elements in Tehran and force them to sit down to negotiate an agreement on acceptable American terms.

Araghchi wrote on social media yesterday: “Eight years ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Iranians they should follow the White House’s dictates if they wanted to eat. Today, Rubio is repeating this nonsense.” Araghchi added that the problem with this US policy, beyond “ignoring the humanitarian aspect,” lies in the illusions produced by a failed approach.

Before departing for an environmental conference in Turkey, Beshkian said they “started the war under the pretext of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, then used a BRS missile in Lamerj for the first time.” He added, “Now they invoke the mother of all bombs to pursue diplomacy through threats.” He viewed this not as a contradiction, but as a disgrace, asking indignantly: “Who is threatening global peace and security?” He pointed out that election results in the United States, Israel, and Europe had contradicted the agendas of war advocates.

On the night of Tuesday-Wednesday, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, reiterated his country’s rejection of the Russian initiative aimed at removing highly enriched uranium from Iran, a key US demand for reaching any understanding with Tehran. Rezaei stated, “We will not remove a single particle of enriched nuclear material,” adding that “Tehran has informed the Russian side that enriched nuclear materials will remain within its territory,” and claiming that the country needs these materials to design nuclear-powered ships and submarines. Rezaei threatened that “any new US attack would be met with targeting distant US military bases,” emphasizing that the US must provide a clear response to Iran’s conditions for ending the war, as the initial response was insufficient and deceptive.

Despite Washington’s pessimism about reaching an agreement under current circumstances, diplomatic efforts continue. The Axios website revealed that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman indicated during a Group of Seven meeting in Paris two days ago that, following his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington, he became convinced there is an opportunity to grant mediation efforts more time.

Additionally, the Jerusalem Post, citing diplomatic sources, reported that the Qatari Prime Minister said in Paris that Doha had secured a deadline of at least two weeks to reach an understanding between the two sides before any potential US attack.

At a time when a Russian deputy foreign minister warned of signs that Moscow had detected of resuming the war with Iran, and Beijing urged all parties to resolve differences through dialogue, Israeli media sources reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US President engaged in a “very fierce verbal altercation” during a phone call in which they discussed next steps regarding Iran.

The Ynet news website noted that the conversation between Netanyahu and Trump last Sunday took place amid disagreements between Israel and the United States over the possibility of resuming military operations.

This development coincides with Israel’s continued military preparations for a potential new round of fighting with Iran, despite the contradictory messages sent by Trump in recent weeks. Defense officials acknowledge that the upcoming war will not resemble previous conflicts, noting that Tehran has studied Israeli and American tactics and adapted its methods.

“Wall Street Journal” reports that the Israeli defense establishment, in addition to enhancing its air capabilities and purchasing additional aircraft, is drawing lessons from “Operation Guest Lion” to maintain operational readiness. Israel estimates that the next round, if it occurs, will be a “rapid and intensive campaign concluded in the shortest possible time,” rather than a protracted war that could drag the region into an extended conflict. Officials admit that “it is impossible to predict how the war will unfold or end once it begins.”

Israeli circles emphasize that cooperation with the United States will remain a cornerstone of any future campaign, as both Israel and Washington possess operational and intelligence capabilities that do not necessarily align, making their integration a decisive factor. However, the most prominent unresolved question following “Operation Guest Lion” concerns the fate of Iran’s nuclear program. Tel Aviv acknowledges that while the campaign succeeded in setting the program back, it “has not eliminated the need to address the nuclear threat.”

Tehran still retains approximately 450 kilograms of highly enriched uranium. Israeli officials state that the location of this stockpile is known and under surveillance, but it “will ultimately have to be dealt with, whether through an agreement or another path.”

On the ground, attacks targeting ships in the Strait of Hormuz have continued. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that “two oil tankers, supported by US Air Force fighter jets, attempted to exit the prohibited and unsafe route in the strait, resulting in collisions with naval mines and massive explosions.” Meanwhile, a mysterious fire broke out at one of the platforms in Iran’s South Pars gas field.

In a separate development, the US Department of Justice announced charges against three individuals it said were working for a network linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah, for their involvement in approximately 20 attacks and attempted attacks in the United States and Europe, including a plot to target a British air base housing US forces last September.

In a related incident, the US Department of the Treasury confirmed, in response to inquiries, that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent moved from his home to a military base after receiving Iranian threats to kill him, as reported by Fox News Digital citing a department spokesperson.