Dubai, April 9: The chief of Iran’s nuclear agency said Thursday that protecting Tehran’s right to enrich uranium is “necessary” for any ceasefire talks with the United States.
Mohammad Eslami, who leads the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran, made the remarks to journalists including one from The Associated Press in Tehran, Iran, during commemorations for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“It is a part of the necessary (things) that nobody speaks about,” Eslami said, referring to the US refusal to acknowledge enrichment as one part of Iran’s 10-point plan for a permanent ceasefire.
The US and Iran are due to meet in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, for talks this weekend.
Israel says it killed aide to Hezbollah leader
Israel said Thursday it killed an aide to Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem in its intense airstrikes that hit Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, on Wednesday.
It identified the man killed as Ali Yusuf Harshi, a secretary and nephew to Kassem.
Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Iran signals Hormuz mines as fragile ceasefire holds
Iranian semiofficial media published a chart suggesting the Revolutionary Guard may have deployed sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz during the recent conflict, in what appears to be a signal aimed at pressuring the United States amid a fragile ceasefire.
The chart marked a “danger zone” along key shipping lanes and hinted that vessels were being diverted closer to Iran’s coast.
It remains unclear whether any mines have since been cleared.
The ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran is largely holding, but both Tehran and Washington dispute its terms. Iran claims it secured rights to control the strait, charge tolls and continue uranium enrichment, while the US insists the agreement requires reopening the waterway and limiting Iran’s nuclear programme.
Tensions are further strained by ongoing Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, which Iran says violate the deal.
Global markets reacted nervously, with oil prices rising above $97 per barrel and shipping traffic through the strait remaining limited.
The US has maintained a strong military presence in the region, with President Donald Trump warning of severe consequences if the agreement fails.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue, with talks expected in Pakistan.
However, disagreements over key conditions and continued regional violence have raised concerns that the ceasefire could collapse. (AP)
