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A senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said Tehran could reduce its uranium enrichment level from 60% to 20% under potential nuclear negotiations with the United States, but only if certain conditions are met.
Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, made the remarks in an interview with Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen.
Shamkhani appeared in the interview wearing a military uniform and said Iran is effectively living under war conditions.
“This is not a political message, it is a practical one. We are ready,” he said, adding that Iran is prepared for all possible scenarios without seeking war or issuing threats.
He said Iran is facing what he described as unjust conditions, unjust war preparations and unjust threats imposed by its adversaries.
Shamkhani said war should always be considered a military possibility but stressed that politically there is still time to pursue solutions.
He said complex issues remain unresolved and that diplomacy and dialogue are essential tools alongside military preparedness.
He added that proposals conveyed to Iran must be non-threatening, reasonable and free of arrogance to prevent what he described as catastrophic outcomes.
Addressing possible negotiations with the United States, Shamkhani said Iran has repeatedly shown readiness for direct and substantive talks with Washington.
He said Europe has been ineffective in the negotiation process since U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018, adding that European countries were unable to take meaningful steps afterward.
Shamkhani said nuclear negotiations could only be conducted directly with the United States and strictly within the framework of nuclear issues, adding that reaching an agreement on the nuclear file remains possible.
Shamkhani rejected claims that Iran plans to transfer enriched uranium abroad, saying there is no reason to do so.
He said enrichment at the 60% level was not intended for military purposes and that Iran has no such intention. However, he said enrichment could be reduced to 20% “but there must be a price.”
Shamkhani also said Iran does not know how much enriched uranium remains, claiming stockpiles are buried under rubble and have not been recovered due to safety risks.
He said Iran is in talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency to determine a safe and risk-free method to estimate the remaining stockpile.
Shamkhani warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would result in a direct response against Israel.
“We make no distinction between targets,” he said. “Israel and the United States are not separate entities. If the U.S. attacks Iran, we will definitely strike Israel.”
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