Iran’s atomic chief says no country can deny its enrichment rights as US military pressure mounts and nuclear talks continue.

TEHRAN: Iran’s atomic energy chief has firmly asserted the country’s right to nuclear enrichment.

Mohammad Eslami stated that no nation can deprive Iran of this right to peaceful nuclear technology.

His comments follow a second round of Oman-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva. The talks are the first since previous negotiations collapsed during the Iran-Israel war in June.

“The basis of the nuclear industry is enrichment,” Eslami said, according to a video published by Etemad daily. He emphasised that nuclear fuel is needed for any nuclear process.

“Iran’s nuclear programme is proceeding according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to peacefully benefit from this technology.” The statement comes after US President Donald Trump again hinted at potential military action.

On Wednesday, Trump suggested the US might strike Iran in a social media post. He warned Britain over the Chagos Islands, stating the Diego Garcia airbase might be needed “in order to eradicate a potential attack”.

Washington has repeatedly called for zero enrichment from Iran. It also seeks to address Iran’s ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups in the region.

Western nations accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. Tehran denies having military ambitions but insists on its right to civilian nuclear technology.

Trump has deployed a significant naval force to the region, which he described as an “armada”. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group was sent to the Gulf in January.

He recently indicated a second aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford, would depart for the Middle East soon. Meanwhile, Iranian naval forces conducted military drills in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz this week.

Separately, the Iranian and Russian navies were conducting joint drills in the Sea of Oman. The exercises extended into the northern Indian Ocean.

 The Sun Malaysia