Biden said mulling sanctions relief for Iran halting 20% enrichment, ceasing work on advanced centrifuges.

Iran will not stop enriching uranium to 20 percent until the US lifts all of its crippling sanctions on Tehran’s economy, Iran’s state-backed PressTV reported on Tuesday.

The outlet cited a senior Iranian official as the source for the message, delivered as an apparent response to a proposal purportedly being mulled by Washington.

According to Monday’s report by Politico, the administration of US President Joe Biden is considering removing some of the sanctions in exchange for the Islamic Republic halting the 20 percent enrichment, as well as its work on advanced centrifuges.

The offer is not finalized yet and is expected to be submitted this week, it added.

It cited a source in the Biden team as saying that the move is mostly aimed at breaking the ice and starting a dialogue.

According to the newspaper, there is no ongoing direct contact between Washington and Tehran, with outreach efforts mediated by Europe.

Biden has voiced the intention to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal that his predecessor former President Donald Trump pulled the US out of.

However, the two sides are at odds as to who has to return to full compliance with the accord first.

(i24 News).