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Iran's atomic vigor main Mohammad Eslami said nary state tin deprive the Islamic republic of its close to atomic enrichment, aft U.S. President Donald Trump again hinted astatine subject action pursuing talks successful Geneva.
"The ground of the atomic manufacture is enrichment. Whatever you privation to bash successful the atomic process, you request atomic fuel," said Mr. Eslami, according to a video published by Etemad daily connected Thursday (February 19, 2026).
"Iran's atomic programme is proceeding according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and nary state tin deprive Iran of the close to peacefully payment from this technology."
The comments travel the 2nd circular of Oman-mediated talks betwixt Tehran and Washington successful Geneva connected Tuesday (February 17).
The 2 foes had held an archetypal circular of discussions connected February 6 successful Oman, the archetypal since erstwhile talks collapsed during the 12-day Iran-Israel warfare successful June.
The United States concisely joined the warfare alongside Israel, striking Iranian atomic facilities.
On Wednesday (February 18), Mr. Trump again suggested the United States mightiness onslaught Iran successful a station connected his Truth Social site.
He warned Britain against giving up sovereignty implicit the Chagos Islands successful the Indian Ocean, saying that the archipelago's Diego Garcia airbase mightiness beryllium needed were Iran not to hold a deal, "in bid to eradicate a imaginable onslaught by a highly unstable and unsafe regime".
Washington has repeatedly called for zero enrichment, but has besides sought to code Iran's ballistic rocket programme and its enactment for militant groups successful the portion — issues which Israel has pushed to see successful the talks.
Western countries impeach the Islamic republic of seeking to get atomic weapons.
Tehran denies having specified subject ambitions but insists connected its close to this exertion for civilian purposes.
Mr. Trump, who has ratcheted up unit connected Iran to scope an agreement, has deployed a important naval unit to the region, which helium has described arsenic an "armada".
After sending the craft bearer USS Abraham Lincoln and escort battleships to the Gulf successful January, helium precocious indicated that a 2nd craft carrier, the Gerald Ford, would depart "very soon" for the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Iranian naval forces this week conducted subject drills successful the Gulf and astir the strategical Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, the Iranian and Russian navies held connected Thursday (February 19) associated drills successful the Sea of Oman and the bluish Indian Ocean, which the authoritative IRNA quality agency aboriginal announced had ended.
