WASHINGTON FREE BEACON:

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Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi (Sayed Hassan/Getty Images)
Iran has flatly rejected the Trump administration’s central demand in nuclear talks—zero uranium enrichment—raising fresh doubts about the prospect of a deal amid a growing buildup of U.S. military assets in the Middle East. “Our proposal affirms that uranium enrichment is a sovereign right,” an Iranian official told Al Jazeera as American and Iranian officials sat for a fresh round of talks on Thursday. “The principle of zero uranium enrichment forever, dismantling of nuclear facilities and the transfer of uranium stockpiles is completely rejected.”

That doesn’t square with the Trump administration’s position. U.S. officials have called on the Islamic Republic to dismantle nuclear facilities, relinquish its uranium stockpiles, and stop enriching fissile material with no sunset clause, meaning any deal would last indefinitely. That could explain why White House envoy Steve Witkoff and fellow negotiator Jared Kushner were reportedly “disappointed” by Thursday’s talks.

The impasse comes amid the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East since 2003. Some elements of that buildup are historic: F-22 Raptor fighter jets, for example, are operating from bases within Israel for the first time. Iranian officials are nonetheless threatening massive repercussions for any U.S. strikes: Iranian Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Wednesday that any attack will prompt a “remorseful response that would make any aggressor regret their malicious behavior.” He could soon be out of a job: Senate majority leader John Thune (R., S.D.) said Thursday that if Donald Trump strikes, he “better well make it about getting new leadership and regime change,” backing the idea for the first time.

READ MORE: Iran Rejects ‘Zero Uranium Enrichment’ in Latest Round of Nuclear Talks