US-Iran Tensions: Tehran Says Washington Hasn't Asked For Zero Nuclear Enrichment | Top Points

Last Updated:February 20, 2026, 19:06 IST

US-Iran tensions remain high as Donald Trump warned Tehran that it should make a deal over its nuclear programme within 10-15 days, or "really bad things" will happen.

Amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday claimed that Washington has not asked Tehran to permanently halt uranium enrichment, pushing back against reports that suggested it was a key condition for nuclear talks.

Speaking on MSNBC, Araghchi said recent talks in Geneva had been constructive and that both sides had agreed on guiding principles for a possible deal. “The US side has not asked for zero enrichment," he said, adding that Iran had not offered to suspend enrichment either.

The top Iranian diplomat stressed diplomacy between the two countries, saying there was no “military solution" to Tehran’s nuclear programme. “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear programme, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever," he said.

Trump’s 10-Day Deadline For Iran

Araghchi also said both the US and Iran had agreed to prepare a draft framework for a possible agreement and would begin negotiating its language at their next meeting, calling the process “a normal way of any international negotiations."

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it should make a deal over its nuclear programme within 10-15 days, or “really bad things" will happen. Amid a massive US military buildup in the Middle East that has fueled fears of a wider war, Trump said negotiations with Iran to end the tense standoff were going well but demanded that Tehran reach a “meaningful" agreement.

Trump’s remarks drew a threat from Iran, which said that US bases, facilities and assets in the region would be “legitimate targets" if Washington follows through on its military attacks. Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, told UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that Trump’s remarks signals a “real risk of military aggression" that would be catastrophic for the region.

USS Gerald R Ford Reaches Mediterranean

Meanwhile, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has reached the Mediterranean Sea, according to reports, as the United States increases its military presence in the region. The Kan broadcaster said the accompanying warship USS Mahan transmitted signals near the Strait of Gibraltar, indicating the carrier’s progress toward the eastern Mediterranean.

Trump has deployed warships, fighter jets and other military hardware to the Middle East as he seeks to block Iran from building a nuclear bomb. Several reports suggested that the US military would be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend.

Norway Relocates Soldiers In Middle East

Amid escalating tensions, Norway is relocating some of the around 60 soldiers it has in the Middle East to Norway as well as to other countries in the region on security grounds, a spokesperson for the Norwegian armed forces said on Friday.

“The way the situation is now, it’s not possible for them to do their primary tasks, and that’s why we are relocating them," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Reuters, adding other nations had made similar moves in recent days.

This came after Poland ordered all its citizens in Iran to “leave immediately" and Germany moved troops out of northern Iraq to reduce its footprint to the minimum necessary to keep its base there functional.

Oil Prices Fall After Record Highs

However, European stocks rebounded and oil prices fell on Friday as investors reassessed the chances of a US strike on Iran, after heightened geopolitical tensions sparked by Trump’s threats. Crude prices pulled back after climbing to six-month highs this week as talks between the US and Iran looked close to failure.

The key oil-producing nation is located just across the Strait of Hormuz from the oil-rich Arabian Peninsula, a critical chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply flows. Any unrest or conflict in the region could disrupt shipments, tightening global supply and driving up fuel prices.

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