Iran Says US Missile Demands Stall Nuclear Talks

Iran remains open to nuclear negotiations with the United States, but U.S. demands for restrictions on Tehran's ballistic and hypersonic missile programs are blocking progress, according to Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. The sixth round of indirect talks was suspended in June following a 12-day conflict involving Israeli and American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iran's missile retaliation against Israel. Western countries fear Iran aims to develop nuclear weapons and delivery missiles, claims Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear program is solely for civilian energy purposes and its missile capabilities are non-negotiable. Larijani criticized U.S. missile demands as unrealistic and counterproductive, emphasizing that Iran's defense capabilities cannot be on the negotiating table. Meanwhile, France, Germany, and Britain (the E3) have initiated a "snapback mechanism" to restore UN sanctions on Tehran, urging Iran to return to talks and meet certain conditions to delay sanctions for up to six months. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has declared tensions with the U.S. as "unsolvable," vowing Iran will not submit to American demands.