President Joe Biden said the US would not lift sanctions to get Iran back to the negotiating table, suggesting the measure would only happen if Tehran halts enriching uranium.

In an interview with CBS News, Biden replied “NO,” on whether the US will lift sanctions to take Iran back to the negotiating table. Norah O’Donnell asked Joe Biden if Tehran have to stop enriching uranium first, and he nodded. The interview was recorded on Friday but released on Sunday ahead of the Super Bowl.

Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America in 2018 from the nuclear-deal. The withdrawal saw Iran agree to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Mr. Biden stated he would seek to revive the agreement. But he insisted that Tehran must first reverse its nuclear steps, creating a contest of wills between the countries.

LATEST: President Biden says the U.S. won’t lift sanctions on Iran to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table pic.twitter.com/HWQ4F0h13u

— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) February 7, 2021

Biden nodded when asked if Iran had to stop enriching uranium first. It was unclear what he meant, as Iran is legalized to enrich uranium under the 2015 nuclear-deal within certain restrictions.

Under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to lift crippling economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for limits on the nation’s nuclear program. Former President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal in 2018 and reimposed the sanctions. Mr. Biden has said he plans to return to the agreement.

According to state TV, earlier on Sunday, Iran’s supreme leader urged the US to “lift all sanctions” if it wishes the nation to live up to promises under its nuclear deal with world powers.

Khamenei approved the efforts at reaching the nuclear deal in 2015

Since Biden took office, in his first comments on the matter, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei quoted as saying, if (America) wants Iran to return to its commitments, it must lift all sanctions in practice. They’ll verify and return to their pledges.

Khamenei added on Sunday, echoing Iranian leaders’ previous comments that America must ease its sanctions before Iran comes back into compliance. It’s the definitive and irreversible policy of the Islamic Republic. Moreover, all of the nation’s officials are agree on this, and no one will deviate from it.

The supreme leader has a concluding say on all matters of state in Iran and approved the nuclear-deal efforts in 2015.

In response to Trump’s supposed maximum pressure campaign against Iran, the country gradually violated its nuclear commitments. It warned further provocations in a bid to increase its leverage and get Biden to prioritize a return to the agreement as he moves to dismantle Trump’s legacy.

Mr. Biden has signed a series of executive orders that reverse course on a wide range of issues, including climate change agreement and immigration policy.

Last December, following the killing of an Iranian scientist credited with leading the state’s disbanded military nuclear program, Iran’s parliament approved a law to bar international nuclear inspectors later this month. However, it is a severe violation of the nuclear accord.

Iran has also begun enriching uranium closer to weapons-grade levels and said it would experiment with uranium metals, a vital nuclear warhead component. The state has declared its moves and required that all breaches of the pact are easily reversible. Tehran says its atomic agenda is for peaceful intentions only.