Iran signaled a tougher line on its nuclear program, with senior adviser Ali Akbar Velayati stating on 14 July that Tehran will not participate in further discussions with the United States if Washington insists that Iran abandon uranium enrichment. “If the negotiations must be conditioned on stopping enrichment, such negotiations will not take place,” Velayati said during a meeting in Tehran, according to state media. Iran and the United States have held five rounds of indirect talks through Omani mediation since April, but the next session scheduled for mid-June was canceled after Israel’s 13 June strike on Iranian territory. Western governments, led by the United States, have long argued that stopping enrichment is essential to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon; Tehran maintains its program is for civilian energy. Earlier the same day, President Massoud Pezeshkian said he remains "in favor of diplomacy and constructive engagement" and does not rule out a future meeting with U.S. officials, though he confirmed that no date has been set. The latest remarks underscore the gap between the parties as they explore a path back to nuclear negotiations.