03.02.2026 06:51
Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, indicated the conditions for potential nuclear negotiations with the U.S. in an interview while wearing a military uniform. Shamkhani stated, "The 60% uranium enrichment can be reduced to 20%, but there must be a price for that."
Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made evaluations regarding Iran's military, political, and nuclear policies in an interview with the Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen television.
"THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL MESSAGE"
Shamkhani, who participated in the interview in military uniform, responded to the question of whether this situation contained a political message by saying, "This is not a political message; it is a practical message. We are ready." Stating that Iran is effectively under war conditions, Shamkhani said, "We are living under effective war conditions and feel the shadow of war. Therefore, we are ready for any situation we may encounter. This preparation does not mean threatening or resorting to war; it means accepting war from a military perspective. However, we are facing unjust conditions imposed on us by our enemies, an unjust war, and unjust threats, and they are also preparing with all their might for this war," he said.
"WAR IS MILITARILY POSSIBLE"
In his assessment regarding the possibility of war, Shamkhani stated that war should always be considered a possibility from a military perspective, but politically there is still time, and this process needs to be evaluated correctly. Pointing out that there are complex issues that need to be resolved, Shamkhani expressed that diplomacy and dialogue are fundamental elements of the right path and that this channel should be strengthened alongside war preparations. Shamkhani noted that some proposals have been conveyed to Iran, stating that if these proposals do not contain threats, are based on reasonable conditions, and are free from arrogance, "there is hope that a disaster and an unjust development can be prevented."
"EUROPE REMAINED INEFFECTIVE IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS"
Addressing the possibility of negotiations with the US and Europe's role, Shamkhani stated that Iran has repeatedly shown its readiness for direct and concrete negotiations with the US to date. Claiming that Europe has remained ineffective in the negotiation process, Shamkhani said, "After US President Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in 2018, Europe did not take any steps. Europe's ineffectiveness was also seen in the pre-war negotiations last June. Trump did not even allow the European parties to intervene in this process. Therefore, the issue can only be addressed with the US and solely within the framework of the nuclear issue. An agreement on the nuclear issue is possible," he stated.
"ENRICHMENT CAN BE REDUCED TO 20%"
Rejecting claims that enriched uranium would be taken out of Iran, Shamkhani said, "There is no reason to take enriched uranium out of Iran. The claim that the enrichment at the 60% level was produced for military purposes is not true, and we have had no intention in this direction. This issue has been on the agenda for more than three years, and during this time, sanctions against us have increased, pressures have intensified, and international decisions have been made. Our nuclear program is entirely peaceful. The enrichment at the 60% level can be reduced to 20%, but there must be a cost for that," he stated.
"WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH URANIUM IS LEFT"
Stating that the stocks of enriched uranium are buried under rubble, Shamkhani said, "We do not know how much enriched uranium is left. Because these stocks are buried under rubble, and due to the risks they inherently carry, we have not taken any steps to extract them so far. We are negotiating with the International Atomic Energy Agency to find a method for how this amount can be estimated safely and without risk," he said.
"IF THE US ATTACKS, WE WILL DEFINITELY STRIKE ISRAEL"
Shamkhani stated that any military attack by the US on Iran would result in a direct response not only against Washington but also against Tel Aviv, saying, "We do not make a distinction between targets and approaches. Such a distinction is not relevant for us. Israel and the US are not two separate entities; they are one whole. If the US attacks Iran, we will definitely strike Israel," he said.