Iran Open to Limiting Uranium Enrichment, But Not to Zero; Nuclear Talks Unlikely Until Israeli Ceasefire

Iran has expressed conditional openness to curbing its uranium enrichment but firmly rejected any nuclear negotiations while under attack by Israel. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is "ready" to discuss limits on enrichment but emphasized that "zero enrichment will undoubtedly be rejected" by the government—especially in light of Israel’s ongoing military strikes.

The official added that "the role of European powers is now more prominent," as Tehran refuses to engage directly with the United States during the Israeli assault. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reinforced this stance on Friday, stating that “there is no room for negotiations with the United States until Israeli aggression stops.”

European foreign ministers are scheduled to meet with Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday in a bid to de-escalate tensions. Their goal is to coax Iran back into nuclear talks and negotiate a possible rollback of Tehran’s nuclear activities. With the United States sidelined by Iran's refusal to engage, the European Union is hoping to act as a key intermediary.

The diplomatic push comes amid sustained military action between Israel and Iran. Israeli forces said on Friday they had launched fresh strikes overnight on dozens of Iranian military sites, including missile production facilities and a nuclear-related research center in Tehran.

In retaliation, Iran fired another wave of missiles early Friday, with some landing near residential apartments, office buildings, and industrial facilities in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba.

The conflict’s escalation has drawn growing attention from Washington. President Trump reportedly told senior aides earlier this week that he had approved military plans for Iran but was waiting to see whether Tehran would show any willingness to halt its nuclear program. According to White House sources, a decision could come “within two weeks.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Thursday with his British counterpart to discuss the worsening conflict. A joint statement from the State Department reaffirmed that “Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon.”