As nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran enter a critical technical phase, both sides are digging in their heels with uranium enrichment at the heart of the dispute.

Speaking on ABC’s This Week, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff declared that the Trump administration’s “red line” is non-negotiable: “We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability.” He emphasized that any enrichment, however limited, enables weaponization. “Everything begins with a deal that does not include enrichment… because enrichment enables weaponization. And we will not allow a bomb to get here,” Witkoff added.

In a swift and pointed response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed Witkoff’s statement, accusing him of trying to “negotiate the deal in public.” Taking to social media, Araghchi reiterated that Iran will never give up its right to enrich uranium, a right it claims under the 1970 Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), of which it is a signatory.

“If the US is interested in ensuring that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, a deal is within reach, and we are ready for a serious conversation to achieve a solution that will forever ensure that outcome,” Araghchi said. “Enrichment in Iran, however, will continue with or without a deal.”

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Araghchi added that Witkoff is “completely at a distance from the reality of the negotiations.”

The exchange comes amid confusion over the status of a US proposal. While President Donald Trump claimed during a speech in Abu Dhabi that his administration had handed Tehran a written nuclear deal proposal, warning that Iran must act swiftly or face consequences. Iran has, however, denied receiving any such document.

This latest diplomatic volley highlights a growing divide. While Iran insists its enrichment activities are peaceful and permitted under international law, the US along with Israel argues that Iran is manipulating the NPT to become a “threshold” nuclear state, enriching uranium to levels just short of weapons-grade purity.

Earlier this year, Witkoff hinted that Washington might tolerate minimal enrichment as part of a broader agreement. But following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, the Trump administration has hardened its stance, demanding zero enrichment as a precondition for any deal.

As talks continue behind closed doors, the world watches anxiously. Whether diplomacy can prevail over red lines? This remains an open and increasingly urgent question.