Iran rejects Western trigger mechanism threat as pressure tactic

"Common sense dictates you cannot build on a shaky basis," the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in an interview with Bloomberg, stressing that unresolved issues concerning uranium traces discovered at undeclared locations must be addressed.

"We discovered traces of uranium at places that were not supposed to have hosted any nuclear activity," he said, adding that satisfactory answers from Iran are still lacking. "We haven't had, I must say, answers or satisfying answers, to these questions."

The IAEA chief indicated that the current state of discussions with Iran regarding the unresolved uranium traces is not meeting the agency's expectations. "Well, we are not I must admit, we are not where we would like to be."

He acknowledged US President Donald Trump's outreach to Iran's Supreme Leader and his own recent and planned visits to Tehran, but underscored the necessity of addressing these past issues to establish a solid foundation for future negotiations.

"These things come together because you have, on one hand, these unresolved questions from the past. And then, yeah, at the same time the possibility of having some viable agreement form for the future."

The IAEA chief also highlighted the catastrophic potential of a nuclear-armed Iran in the volatile Middle East.

"The addition of that to the pot of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic," he said.

He called for continued efforts by the United States, European allies, and Iran to find a viable path forward as a matter of necessity, but only after the past discrepancies are resolved.

Iran has enriched uranium to up to 60% fissile purity, closer to the 90% needed for a bomb.

Iran's uranium stock refined to up to 60% grew by 92.5 kilograms (kg) in the past quarter to 274.8 kg, one of the IAEA reports said. According to an IAEA yardstick, the amount is enough in principle for six nuclear bombs if enriched further.

While Tehran has reduced IAEA inspections since 2021 and in 2023 barred a third of the inspectors, it continues to argue that its nuclear activities are peaceful.

The rial has halved in value since President Masoud Pezeshkian took office in August, deepening concerns over Iran’s worsening economic outlook, amid continuing US economic sanctions and negative regional developments for Iran.

The steep decline began after Israel launched devastating attacks on Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, in Lebanon in September, undermining Tehran’s regional influence. The election of Donald Trump, who takes a harder line on the Islamic Republic, has added to the uncertainty.

Last week, the currency dropped to one million per US dollar in Tehran, a day after Trump warned Iran of retaliation if its Houthi allies in Yemen retaliated against US airstrikes designed to weaken them.

The rial, which was valued at around 40,000 per dollar in early 2018, began to plummet after Trump withdrew from the JCPOA nuclear deal in May of that year and imposed tough economic sanctions, pushing inflation above 40%.

Prices for food and other essential goods have recently surged, with inflation in these categories estimated at 100%. As the rial continues to lose value, even higher inflation is expected in the coming months.

On March 20, the United States sanctioned Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co, which is known as a “teapot refinery” purchasing Iranian oil shipped by illicit methods to China in violation of US sanctions.

The WSJ said that after years of a lenient approach toward Tehran’s oil exports to China, the Trump administration finally took a step targeting the main source of Iran’s oil revenues. Chinese teapot refineries buy 90% of these exports and provide a lifeline for Tehran, which is financially strapped.

Officially, China buys almost no Iranian oil but its small refineries, not directly linked to government enterprises, unload tankers that wholly or partially carry Iranian cargoes.

“Unlike larger firms with links across the global economy, the teapots are less vulnerable to sanctions. But they tend to have links across the domestic Chinese economy. That’s what makes this move a warning to China,” the editorial said. It added that while Beijing might be willing to tolerate risk with its small refineries, it might not be ready to endanger US punitive measures against its bigger, state enterprises.

“If that’s trouble Mr. Xi could do without, he can make the business and political decision to drop Iran as a supplier. When Iran’s oil exports collapse, you’ll know the regime is feeling the heat. That’s when nuclear talks will have their best chance of success.”

President Trump last month announced the revival of his so-called maximum pressure policy toward the Islamic Republic, demanding talks to dismantle its nuclear program. Iran has responded by saying that it will not negotiate under Mr. Trump’s pressure, although it is facing serious financial pressures to a large extent brought on by US sanctions.

"On Iran, we agree the immense threat Iran poses to the region and global stability. Iran is a threat also supporting Russia's war in Ukraine," Kallas said.

"Iran must never be allowed to acquire or build a nuclear weapon. And EU supports all diplomatic efforts to that effect," she added.

Sa’ar said it was “only natural” for Israel to expect European backing in the ongoing conflict the country is fighting against Iran's allies, and framed the war as part of a broader global struggle.

“We are now fighting the war of the free world,” he said. “Iran, Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah attack us because we are nearby", he said after last week saw three of Iran's allies once again firing on the Jewish state as ceasefires collapsed.

"But make no mistake, the war is against Western civilization—against its values and its ways of life," he added.

Earlier this month, the European Union's top diplomat called for an international nuclear deal with Iran along the lines of the 2015 JCPOA agreement, days after US President Donald Trump mooted military action to dismantle it.

High Representative Kaja Kallas told a United Nations Security Council session on EU-UN cooperation: "The constant expansion of Iran’s nuclear programme fully contradicts Iran’s own commitments as endorsed by the Security Council."

At the end of an interview with Tucker Carlson on Friday, President Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East expressed hope that he or someone else from the administration might visit Tehran, as Carlson had suggested. Witkoff acknowledged the complexity of the Iran issue due to its nuclear dimension and the need for technical expertise. “I’m going to welcome that opportunity if I’m involved,” he stated.

So far, there has been no official Iranian reaction to Witkoff’s remarks. However, Nour News, a media outlet close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in a tweet in English on Sunday that Witkoff’s tone “won’t clear up misunderstandings as no behavioral changes have occurred,” referring to US policies toward the Islamic Republic. Nour News added that the US is still pursuing talks while exerting pressure on Tehran. “If Washington wants a new nuclear verification process, it must first present real evidence of Iran's intent to obtain nukes!”

The lack of more commentary in online publications may be due to limited resources during the Nowruz holidays. Some public figures, however, have also commented on the interview via social media, where high engagement suggests significant public interest.

Throughout the lengthy interview, Witkoff reiterated that President Trump was open to negotiating a resolution with Iran, allowing the country to reintegrate into the global economy without the burden of sanctions. He emphasized Trump’s preference for diplomacy over military action and suggested that a verification program could be established to ensure Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful.

Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, Witkoff reinforced the administration’s message to Iran, urging diplomatic engagement to resolve ongoing tensions. “And if we can't, the alternative is not a great alternative,” he warned, stressing that the U.S. would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Diverging perspectives within the Trump administration

Witkoff’s remarks—particularly his focus on controlling Iran’s nuclear program through verification—contrast with statements from President Trump and other senior officials, who have called for the complete dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear program. White House National Security Advisor Michael Waltz reiterated on Sunday that the Trump administration seeks the full dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program in a transparent manner that satisfies the international community.

Reactions from Iranian figures

“Dear friends in the Foreign Ministry, Witkoff has expressed interest in visiting Iran!” wrote Nosratolah Tajik, a relatively moderate politician and former diplomat, in a brief post on X on Saturday. He suggested that Tehran should invite Witkoff before formally responding to President Trump’s letter to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—both as a gesture of diplomatic goodwill and a display of political savvy, while also helping to deflect public criticism.

“It’s not just me saying this—former senior diplomats from the Foreign Ministry also advise against rejecting Witkoff’s expression of interest in visiting Iran,” wrote senior reformist journalist Mohammad Sahafi, referencing Tajik’s post.

An expatriate dissident, Akbar Ganji, echoed this sentiment, advocating for direct talks between Iran and the US, starting with a meeting between Iranian officials and Witkoff and eventually progressing to a summit between the Iranian and US presidents to finalize an agreement.

Former Reformist diplomat and political editor Abdolreza Raisi also backed the idea of hosting Witkoff in Iran. “How can we refuse to host him now that he’s expressed interest in visiting, especially to verify such claims and put the ball in their court?” he wrote in a post on X.

Skepticism from US analysts

Jason Brodsky, Policy Director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), suggested in a post on X that certain Iranian officials and regime sympathizers may be attempting to exploit perceived divisions within the Trump administration. According to Brodsky, these figures are bypassing Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz while engaging with officials they believe are more receptive to negotiations.