Iran to US: No Nuclear Deal Without Guarantee of Our Rights

Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf

Iran to US: No Nuclear Deal Without Guarantee of Our Rights

TEHRAN – Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has firmly ruled out any agreement with the United States unless the rights of the Iranian people are fully guaranteed, signaling a major hurdle in ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East conflict that erupted on February 28.

In a video broadcast on state television on Sunday, Ghalibaf declared, “We will not approve any agreement until we are certain that the rights of the Iranian people have been upheld.” He added that Tehran’s negotiating team “neither trust the enemy’s words nor its promises,” underscoring a deep and persistent distrust of US guarantees that has defined the Islamic Republic’s bargaining stance for decades.

The强硬 Iranian position comes as the White House pushes forward with a revised proposal. On Saturday, The New York Times and Axios reported that US President Donald Trump returned a draft framework to Tehran with “tougher” terms than previously discussed. According to US officials cited by Axios, the revisions focus on stricter clauses regarding Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz —a chokepoint through which nearly 20% of global oil passes. One senior official said the changes include “more specifics about how the US gets the material and the timing” regarding Iran’s nuclear activities. President Trump, while publicly expressing a desire for a deal, has kept military action on the table. “We are making a great deal; otherwise we’ll just go back and finish it off militarily,” Trump told Fox News this week.

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Tehran has laid out a clear list of rights it says must be enshrined in any final agreement. First among these is sanctions relief: Iran demands the lifting of all US economic sanctions imposed since 2018, as the Iranian rial has lost over 80% of its value under the current regime of restrictions. Second, Tehran is seeking the release of approximately $12 billion in frozen assets held in banks abroad, which it views as Iranian property unlawfully withheld. Third, since the war began on February 28, Iran has maintained tight military and naval control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei recently stated that future management of the waterway “concerns only Iran and Oman,” and local media reports indicate a parliamentary plan to codify Iranian sovereignty over the strait is imminent.

Despite the tough rhetoric, a draft 60-day truce memorandum of understanding (MOU) had reportedly been agreed upon by negotiators from both sides pending Trump’s approval. The MOU allegedly includes provisions for mine clearance by Iran, the reopening of the strait, and preliminary discussions on sanctions relief. However, Trump’s decision to return the framework with tougher conditions has introduced fresh delays. Iranian officials are expected to issue a formal response within approximately three days. Meanwhile, a ceasefire that has largely held since April 8 remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

The stalemate has kept the entire Middle East on edge. The war that began on February 28 has already displaced over 1.2 million people, according to UN estimates, and has drawn in proxy forces from Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. A failure to reach a deal could trigger a wider regional conflagration, while a successful agreement—however unlikely under current terms—would reshape Gulf security and global energy markets.