Iran says it sees no need for West to declare 'right' for uranium enrichment

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's foreign minister says his there is no need for world powers to publicly acknowledge Iran's "right" to uranium enrichment, offering a potential way to sidestep another sticking point on a possible nuclear deal when talks resume later this week.

Mohammad Javad Zarif's remarks appear to give more latitude over previous demands that the West declare that Tehran has international clearance to produce nuclear fuel since Iran is a signer of a U.N. treaty governing atomic technology.

The U.S. and others have balked at supporting Iran's "right" to enrich uranium.

Zarif was quoted by the semiofficial ISNA news agency as calling "the right of enrichment" as nonnegotiable. But added there was "no necessity for its recognition as a right" because it is self-evident in the U.N. treaty.