Rubio: Iran can have a civilian nuclear program if it gives up uranium enrichment

As the United States and Iran prepare for a new round of nuclear negotiations this Saturday in Oman, American officials have renewed their call for Tehran to completely abandon its uranium enrichment activities, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that any potential agreement would require Iran to end all domestic uranium enrichment and rely solely on imported material for its civilian nuclear needs.

“There’s a pathway to a civil, peaceful nuclear program if they want one,” Rubio said during an appearance on the Honestly with Bari Weiss podcast. “But if they insist on enriching, then they will be the only country in the world that doesn’t have a ‘weapons program,’ … but is enriching. And so I think that’s problematic.”

Tehran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes. A senior Iranian official involved in the talks reiterated this position, stating, “Zero enrichment is unacceptable.”

Rubio’s comments come ahead of a third round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran, scheduled to take place this coming Saturday.

Steve Witkoff, the US envoy to the talks with Iran, said last week that Iran need not enrich uranium beyond 3.67%, the cap established under the 2015 nuclear deal, from which President Donald Trump withdrew during his first term as President.

After his comment sparked speculation over a potential softening in US demand, Witkoff clarified Washington’s stance, asserting unequivocally that Iran must “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment.”

“If Iran wants a civil nuclear program, they can have one just like many other countries in the world have one, and that is they import enriched material,” Rubio concluded.