WANA (May 23) – Iranian lawmakers have reaffirmed uranium enrichment as a non-negotiable national red line, stressing that it is fundamental to the country’s scientific progress and national security. They argue that abandoning enrichment would undermine Iran’s security and embolden its enemies.

 

Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, said uranium enrichment must not be compromised, citing Western hostility and past refusals to provide fuel for Iran’s medical research reactor. “They denied us fuel even when it was needed for treating cancer patients. That forced us to enrich uranium ourselves,” he said.

 

Rezaei added that the Western insistence on halting enrichment stems from longstanding enmity toward the Islamic Republic. “They have always been hostile toward our system and our people. Their real issue is with Iran’s welfare, progress, and independence.”

 

He emphasized that nuclear energy and enrichment have strengthened Iran’s deterrence capabilities. “If we didn’t possess the full nuclear cycle today, the threats would have been more serious. Enrichment is one reason the enemy doesn’t dare to attack,” he said.

 

Abbas Moqtadaei, deputy chairman of the commission, echoed the same sentiment. “Nuclear energy is a fundamental right of the Iranian people. It’s not just about energy—it’s about Iran’s leadership in science and technology,” he said.

 

Moqtadaei criticized Western calls for stopping enrichment as “deceptive and rooted in jealousy over Iran’s indigenous scientific progress.”

 

He stressed that Iran’s goals in negotiations are centered on protecting the people’s interests, adding: “Progress in science and technology ensures our national interests. We will firmly stand wherever those interests are at stake.”