Iran rejects push to suspend uranium enrichment to reach US deal

Iran on Monday ruled out suspending uranium enrichment as part of any nuclear deal with the United States — a key demand from Washington in successive rounds of talks between the foes.

The issue has come into focus in recent weeks, with Iran staunchly defending its right to enrich uranium as part of what it says is a civilian nuclear programme, while the United States wants it to stop.

The negotiations, which began in April, are the highest-level contact between the two sides since the United…