Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that Washington has demanded Tehran surrender all of its enriched uranium in exchange for just a three-month suspension of sanctions, a proposal he rejected outright as “unacceptable.”

Speaking during his visit to New York, Pezeshkian stated: “The United States wants us to hand over all our enriched uranium to them, and in return they would give us three months’ exemption from sanctions.”

The remarks highlight the deep gulf between Tehran and Washington as nuclear negotiations remain stalled. Iran has steadily expanded its enrichment program since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord, insisting its activities are peaceful while the West warns of potential weapons capability.

The Biden and now Trump administrations have both struggled to restore limits on Iran’s nuclear program. Pezeshkian’s rejection underscores Tehran’s unwillingness to make concessions without broader sanctions relief and security guarantees.

With tensions high in the Middle East, the latest standoff signals continued uncertainty over whether diplomacy can defuse the long-running nuclear dispute.