Tehran vows to keep enriching uranium despite US war threat

Iran’s foreign minister vowed on Sunday that Tehran will never abandon uranium enrichment, even if it means facing war with the United States, sharpening a tense standoff over its nuclear program.

The Islamic Republic “has paid a very heavy price for its peaceful nuclear program and for uranium enrichment,” Abbas Araghchi claimed during a forum in the capital, according to AFP.

“Why do we insist so much on enrichment and refuse to give it up even if a war is imposed on us? Because no one has the right to dictate our behavior,” he continued.

Iran "does not tolerate the language of force”

He also commented on the U.S. military deployment in the region, asserting the show of force “does not scare us.”

Araghchi spoke two days after meeting with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff in Oman. President Donald Trump described Friday’s nuclear talks as “very good.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian echoed that assessment in a Sunday post on X, writing in Persian: “The Iran-U.S. talks, held through the follow-up efforts of friendly governments in the region, were a step forward. Dialogue has always been our strategy for peaceful resolution. Our logic on the nuclear issue is the explicit rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Iranian nation has always responded to respect with respect, but it does not tolerate the language of force.”

"We’re in no rush"

Tensions continue to mount in the Gulf region following Trump’s warnings that the Islamic Republic better not crack down on protesters. The president also mentioned in recent interviews that if negotiations between the two nations go well, a military operation can be averted.

On Friday, the American leader told reporters that “we’re in no rush,” though he warned that consequences would be “very steep” if a deal is not reached, The Hill reported.

Witkoff boards ‘USS Abraham Lincoln’

Meanwhile, Witkoff on Saturday boarded the USS Abraham Lincoln as the ship and its carrier strike group sail in the Arabian Sea amid Trump’s military buildup in the region. He was joined by U.S. Central Command head Adm. Brad Cooper and Trump’s son-in-law and White House unofficial adviser Jared Kushner.

They met with “the brave sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, her strike group, and Carrier Air Wing 9 who are keeping us safe and upholding President Trump’s message of peace through strength,” said Witkoff.

“We thanked the sailors and Marines, observed live flight operations, and spoke with the pilot who downed an Iranian drone that approached the carrier without clear intent,” Witkoff said. “Proud to stand with the men and women who defend our interests, deter our adversaries and show the world what American readiness and resolve look like, on watch every day.”

Huckabee: ‘No panic’ in Israel

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told the Newsmax program “American Agenda” on Friday that he doesn’t sense any panic among Israelis amid the tensions with Iran, calling Israelis “amazingly resilient people” who have “come to know they live in a very dangerous place and there are people who wake up every day trying to kill them.”

The envoy added, “I wish Americans understood that” and expressed his wish that “Americans understood that Iranians want to kill them. They’ve been saying for 47 years, ‘Death to America.’ A lot of Americans say, ‘What happens in Iran doesn’t affect me? Oh yes, it does.

“They’ve been telling us for 47 years that if they ever had a long-range ballistic missile, they’d light that puppy up and send it straight to the United States. What we don’t fully understand is how many Iranian operatives, maybe in the form of Hezbollah, got into our country through a very open border during the Biden years,” Huckabee said.

“How many of them are sleeper cells just standing by, waiting on an order from Tehran to unleash holy hell against Americans. We simply don’t know. But we know that Hezbollah is already in the Western Hemisphere, in 12 Central and South American states. They’re not there because they want to go to Brazil’s carnival. So let’s be real clear: They are a global threat, not just a local threat,” the former Arkansas governor said.

Graham ‘open minded’ about US-Iran talks

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) seemed to have softened his stance regarding nuclear talks with the Iranian regime, writing in an X post on Saturday that he is “open minded” about the negotiations.

“As to any deal between Iran and the US, I hope it can meet our national security objectives and the needs of the people of Iran through diplomacy. Given Iran’s behavior regarding deals, it could be a tough sell,” the lawmaker said. “However,” he continued, “I am open minded, understanding any agreement with the Islamic Republic and the United States must come to Congress for review and a vote.”

Graham took a more hawkish stance on Feb. 1, telling Fox News that the Iran crisis was a “defining moment” of Trump’s presidency and dismissing a potential agreement with Tehran.

"The ayatollah will never be our friend; he’s a religious Nazi"

“There’s no deal to be done here. These people are not trustworthy. The protesters in the street are not protesting for a better nuclear deal; they’re protesting for a better life, and if they win the day, we have a chance to have friends with the people of Iran. The ayatollah will never be our friend; he’s a religious Nazi,” said Graham at the time.

He then advocated for military strikes against the regime.

“You don’t have to invade the country, but ‘help on the way’ [as Trump said on Jan. 13] means military strikes against the infrastructure that is killing the Iranian people. Go after the ones who are killing the people. Put this regime on notice: We’re never going to let up. Strangle their economy. It will fall, the people will take over and over time we will have a friend in Iran, not an enemy.”

© JNS