Iran will not abandon uranium enrichment or hand over its uranium, nuclear chief says

Iran will not ​abandon uranium enrichment or hand over its ​uranium, state media reported on Thursday, ‌citing ​the head of the country's Atomic Energy Organization Mohammad Eslami, after the US said Iran must make "meaningful" reductions in its ‌enrichment capacity.

Dismissing renewed US threats against Iran's nuclear facilities as "nothing new", Eslami said enrichment was "an inseparable part" of the nuclear process. Eslami's comments come as Iran and the United States exchanged proposals ‌in recent weeks aimed at ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ‌a vital global energy shipping route.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that Iran could reply within days to a US response to Iran's proposal under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened within seven days ⁠if necessary ​conditions were met. "Enrichment ⁠is an integral part of the nuclear process, and we will not abandon it in any way. How ⁠can you claim to have a nuclear industry if you don't have the starting point of ​the process? The nuclear industry is the driving force of science and technology," Eslami added.

US ⁠President Donald Trump said later on Thursday that the United States is having productive discussions with Iran and will ⁠not ​launch any attack before the US midterm congressional elections in November. Israel, the US and other Western states have long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, including pointing to ⁠its move to enrich uranium to 60%, far higher than needed for civilian uses and closer ⁠to the 90% ⁠needed for a weapon.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons. Iranian authorities have said that Tehran could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium.