Iran and US reaffirm commitment to diplomacy at UN, but gap on a nuclear deal remains wide

Tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme resurfaced at a U.N. Security Council meeting on Tuesday. Both Iran and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to diplomacy, yet deep divisions remain. The dispute centres on Iran’s escalating uranium enrichment and the stalled revival of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani insisted the country remains dedicated to principled diplomacy and genuine negotiations. He accused the U.S. of undermining trust by demanding zero uranium enrichment—a condition Iran views as a violation of its rights under the 2015 agreement. Meanwhile, Morgan Ortagus, a U.S. Mission counsellor, stated that Washington would only engage in direct talks if Iran was ready for meaningful dialogue.

France’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Jay Dharmadhikari, defended the reimposition of U.N. sanctions, citing Iran’s failure to meet the deal’s requirements. France, the UK, and the U.S. have repeatedly called for Iran to take concrete steps: restoring full IAEA cooperation, rolling back nuclear activities to 2015 limits, and ending support for regional proxies. They also demand verifiable transparency measures, a return to diplomatic negotiations, and phased sanctions relief tied to verified milestones.

The gap between the two sides remains stark. Iran has accelerated uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels, producing over 440 kilograms at 60% purity. In response, Iran urged France, Britain, and the U.S. to take their own steps to rebuild confidence. Despite the deadlock, both nations reiterated their willingness to pursue a diplomatic solution.

The meeting ended with no resolution, leaving the future of the 2015 nuclear deal uncertain. Iran continues to enrich uranium while calling for fairer negotiations. The U.S. maintains its stance on zero enrichment and insists on strict verification before any sanctions relief.