A fresh push to avoid war between the US and Iran faces serious challenges. Talks are blocked by increasing US demands and Iran’s deep nationalist claim over its nuclear program. Iran’s desire to enrich uranium traces back to the 1970s, even before the Islamic Republic was formed in 1979. The Shah planned 20 nuclear power plants to reduce reliance on oil. Western nations, including the UK, joined the effort, with Britain’s energy secretary Tony Benn heavily involved. İran sees uranium enrichment as a symbol of national power and sovereignty. But Iran’s nuclear program has come at a high cost, including US sanctions, economic struggles, and political instability. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told the Guardian, "Iran’s sovereign right under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty" justifies the program. He suggested a possible compromise where a consortium, maybe including the US, might enrich uranium inside Iran, but insisted that enrichment on Iranian soil is non-negotiable. Historian Ali Ansari says Iran’s nuclear policy isn't based on rational calculation but on an "ideological, almost an obsession with national prestige." He adds, "The refusal to compromise means the Iranian economy is being run into the ground for no practical purpose." The Shah’s nuclear plan aimed at energy self-sufficiency as oil supplies would drop by the 1990s, and Iran looked to Europe, not the US or Russia, for help. The 2015 nuclear deal saw Iran’s right to enrich uranium recognized as an "absolute right," with former president Hassan Rouhani calling it a "red line." Despite this, Iran's nuclear plants are outdated, and solar energy resources remain underused. Some experts believe Iran keeps its nuclear option as diplomatic leverage, not just for energy. New US demands include limits on Iran’s missile program and stopping support for groups like the Houthis. Iran’s missile arsenal is central to its defense. Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has rejected calls to limit missiles, warning that without defense power, Iran could be threatened by smaller countries. This stance shapes Iran’s negotiation approach today, making the path to agreement complex and fraught.