Paris/Tehran, Feb 9, (V7N) – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has declared that Tehran will never abandon uranium enrichment, even under threat of war, as negotiations with Washington resumed in Oman for the first time since last year’s conflict with Israel.

Speaking at a forum in Tehran, Araghchi said Iran would not be intimidated by US military deployments in the region, including the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. He stressed that enrichment is a sovereign right, adding, “No one has the right to dictate our behaviour.”

The talks come as Iran faces international criticism over its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests that erupted in December. Authorities on Sunday arrested three reformist leaders, including Azar Mansouri, head of the Reform Front coalition, and handed Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi a new prison sentence for “harming national security.”

Iranian officials acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths in the unrest, while human rights groups say the toll is far higher, with thousands more detained.

Araghchi said Iran is consulting with “strategic partners” China and Russia, while seeking relief from US sanctions in exchange for confidence-building measures on its nuclear program. Western powers and Israel accuse Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies.

US negotiators, including envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner, visited the Abraham Lincoln over the weekend, underscoring Washington’s military posture. President Donald Trump described the talks as “very good,” though he simultaneously imposed new tariffs and sanctions targeting Iran’s oil exports.

Despite the fraught atmosphere, both sides signaled cautious optimism, with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian calling the negotiations “a step forward.

END/WD/RH/