Iran demands ‘guarantee’ US will lift sanctions in nuclear talks

Iran urges the United States to provide a formal guarantee that it will lift sanctions in ongoing talks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

“We want to guarantee that the sanctions are effectively lifted,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei tells a news conference in Tehran.

“So far, the American side has not wanted to clarify this issue,” he adds.

His remarks come two days after a report by the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency showed Iran has stepped up production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent — close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic weapons.

An IAEA report said Iran’s stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity had grown by roughly half to 408.6 kg. That is enough, if enriched further, for nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick.

Additionally, the watchdog said in a wide-ranging, confidential report to member states that Iran had carried out secret nuclear activities with material not declared to the UN nuclear watchdog at three locations that have long been under investigation.