Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Sunday that the nuclear deal cannot be renewed in its current form, citing Tehran's significant advancements in nuclear research as a primary factor for not returning to compliance.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Araghchi conveyed to the Khabar-e Online news agency that the existing framework of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would not be beneficial for Iran due to its recent progress in the nuclear field. The JCPOA, signed in 2015 by Iran and major world powers including China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and the European Union, was aimed at curtailing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. However, the deal faced setbacks when the United States withdrew in 2018 under President Donald Trump's administration, reinstating sanctions and causing the agreement's collapse. In retaliation, Iran announced its intention to scale back its commitments, particularly concerning nuclear research and uranium enrichment levels.

Araghchi emphasized that Iran's actions are guided by its own interests, dismissing any expectations from the US administration. "We don't care about Trump's expectations. We care about our interests. Whatever is in our interests, will be done," he asserted.

In a related development, President Trump mentioned on March 7 that he had reached out to Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, proposing to initiate negotiations for a new nuclear agreement. Reports from the Axios news website, citing unnamed sources, revealed that Trump's communication included a two-month deadline to establish a new nuclear deal.