Europeans and Iran meet in Istanbul as the return of sanctions looms over nuclear deadlock
'A possible delay in triggering snapback has been floated to the Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, that they resume full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and that they address concerns about their highly-enriched uranium stockpile,' the diplomat said.
European leaders have said sanctions will resume by the end of August if there is no progress on containing Iran's nuclear program.
Advertisement
Tehran, meanwhile, has said the U.S., which withdrew from the 2015 deal during President Donald Trump 's first term, needs to rebuild faith in its role in negotiations.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran's engagement was dependent on 'several key principles' that included 'rebuilding Iran's trust – as Iran has absolutely no trust in the United States.'
In a social media post Thursday, he also said the talks shouldn't be used 'as a platform for hidden agendas such as military action.' Gharibabadi insisted that Iran's right to enrich uranium 'in line with its legitimate needs' be respected and sanctions removed.
Advertisement
Iran has repeatedly threatened to leave the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which commits it to refrain from developing nuclear weapons, if sanctions return.
Friday's talks were being held at the deputy ministerial level, with Iran sending Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e Ravanchi. A similar meeting was held in Istanbul in May. The identity of the E3 representatives were not immediately clear but the European Union's deputy foreign policy commissioner was thought to be attending.
The U.K., France and Germany were signatories to the 2015 deal, alongside the U.S., Russia and China. When the U.S. withdrew in 2018, Trump insisted the agreement wasn't tough enough. Under the original deal, neither Russia nor China can veto reimposed sanctions.
Since the Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, which saw American B-52 bombers hit three nuclear sites, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the E3 of hypocrisy, saying they failed to uphold their obligations while supporting Israel's attacks.
Against the backdrop of the conflict, which saw Iran respond with missile attacks on Israel and a strike on a U.S. base in Qatar, the road ahead remains uncertain.
While European officials have said they want to avoid further conflict and are open to a negotiated solution, they have warned that time is running out.
Tehran maintains it is open to diplomacy, though it recently suspended cooperation with the IAEA.
A central concern for Western powers was highlighted when the IAEA reported in May that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% – just below weapons-grade level – had grown to over 400 kilograms (882 pounds).
Advertisement
In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is prepared for another war and reiterated that its nuclear program will continue within the framework of international law while adding the country had no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons.
A spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said Thursday the country's nuclear industry would 'grow back and thrive again' after the recent attacks by Israel and the U.S.
Vahdat reported from Tehran, Iran. Associated Press writer Stephanie Lichtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
a few seconds ago
- The Hill
Toppled Confederate statue returning to DC
A toppled statue dedicated to the memory of Confederate officer Albert Pike will soon be reinstalled in Washington, D.C., according to the Department of Interior. The statue will be back in Judiciary Square by October, according to The Washington Post, who first reported the move. It comes a year ahead of the nation's 250th founding anniversary, a milestone President Trump has pledged to mark with tributes to American history in Washington through his ' Making the District of Columbia Beautiful ' executive order. In the order, Trump says 'monuments, museums, and buildings should reflect and inspire awe and appreciation for our Nation's strength, greatness, and heritage.' Pike's contributions to the country's history fit the mold. 'This project reflects our commitment to the responsible stewardship of public lands and the preservation of our nation's cultural resources,' a spokesperson for the Department said in a Tuesday statement to The Hill. But in 2020, demonstrators removed the sculpture by hand in following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers. Pike's 27-foot-tall bronze and marble statue was erected more than a century ago, in 1901. The measure was aimed at paying homage to his history as a brigadier general in the Confederate army and prominent figure in Scottish Rite Freemasonry. He was also a member of the Know Nothing Party, known for its strong anti-immigration stance. As the Trump administration lauds the statue's reinstallment, local leaders remain in favor of keeping Pike out of street view. 'I've long believed Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts, not remain in locations that imply honor. A statue honoring a racist and a traitor has no place on the streets of D.C.,' Congresswoman Eleanor Norton Holmes (D-D.C.) said in a statement to The Post. The D.C. Scottish Rite also said in 2017 the statue had become 'the subject of contention and escalating controversy' and that the group would agree to its removal, per the outlet.
USA Today
a few seconds ago
- USA Today
Trump plans drug tariffs of up to 250%
President Donald Trump threatened to levy tariffs of up to 250% on pharmaceuticals imported into the United States. The president told CNBC on Aug. 5 that he plans to announce new tariffs "within the next week or so" on imports of pharmaceutical and semiconductor imports. He said he plans to launch a smaller tariff on drug imports before increasing the duties over 12 to 18 months to a maximum amount. Trump would start with an "initially small tariff on pharmaceuticals," he said. "But in one year, one-and-a-half years maximum, it's going to go to 150%, and then it's going to go to 250%, because we want pharmaceuticals made in our country." He said other nations "make a fortune" on pharmaceuticals, citing drugs imported from China and Ireland. Trump has said several times in recent months that there could be trade actions for the pharmaceutical industry, which has globalized since the 1990s with a drug supply chain that stretches from Europe to China and India. In July, Trump said his administration planned pharmaceutical-specific tariffs of up to 200%, though drug companies would have time to establish U.S.-based drug manufacturing. In April, Trump said he planned to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals made overseas, a move he said would prompt drug companies to move their operations to the U.S. On July 31, Trump sent letters to 17 drug companies urging them to lower U.S. drug prices by Sept. 29 to "most favored nation" amounts paid by other nations. In the letters, Trump urged drug companies to adopt such pricing on drug for Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for low-income residents. He also requested drug companies lower U.S. prices to the same levels charged in Europe and elsewhere for newly-launched drugs for people on Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance plans. Trump also urged drug companies to lower pharmaceutical prices for U.S. consumers and businesses that directly purchase from drug companies. "Make no mistake: a collaborative effort towards achieving global pricing parity would be the most effective path for companies, the government and American patients," Trump said in the letters. "But if you refuse to step up, we will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices."
New York Post
a few seconds ago
- New York Post
Tulsi Gabbard tells 'Pod Force One' she believes there may be aliens
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revealed she believes aliens may exist but wouldn't share any details about what the government knows when appearing on Miranda Devine's 'Pod Force One' podcast. Gabbard, who oversees coordination between the 18 US intelligence agencies, was asked during the recent interview whether 'there could be aliens' and begrudgingly replied, 'I have my own views and opinions. 'In this role, I have to be careful with what I share,' she said — before adding, 'Yes,' when pressed about whether she believes in the possibility of extraterrestrials and UFOs. 4 Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard sits down with 'Pod Force One's' Miranda Devine. Ron Sachs – CNP for NY Post The DNI noted that while she has nothing she is 'prepared to talk about' regarding the issue, her team will be transparent with the public when the time comes. 'We're continuing to look for the truth and share that truth with the American people,' she said. 4 New Jersey faced a frenzy last year after a flurry of 'drone' sightings. Multiple lawmakers in Congress are probing what the government knows about unidentified anomalous phenomena UPAs — a k a UFOs. Last year, a House Oversight Subcommittee held multiple hearings on the topic. Gabbard meanwhile said she also still has unanswered questions about the flurry of drones spotted zipping over New Jersey residents' homes last year, a phenomenon that sparked a national uproar. Officials from both the Trump and Biden administrations were adamant that the objects were actually a 'combination' of lawful personal, professional and government aircraft. 'I still have a lot of questions around that,' Gabbard acknowledged to Devine. 'I've heard what the public official line is. 4 Government officials have claimed that most of the mysterious 'drones' were craft that could be explained. USA TODAY photo illustration; photos by Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images 'I just personally still have a lot of questions that are unanswered, because it wasn't just New Jersey. It was happening in different parts of the country.' Skeptics had alleged that sightings of satellites, planes and in some cases even stars were lumped into the drone frenzy. But Gabbard said the US intelligence community at least has a lot of solid information on the suspected Chinese spy balloon that floated across US airspace for about a week in 2023. 'There's a lot of classified information about that,' she said, declining to further elaborate. Former President Joe Biden eventually ordered the balloon to be shot down over the Carolina coast, a move that many, including from President Trump, criticized because they said it should have been done sooner. Biden later publicly claimed the fact that the high-altitude Chinese device was discovered over US 'was more embarrassing than it was intentional. 'I don't think the [Chinese] leadership knew where it was and knew what was in it and knew what was going on,' he told reporters later that year. 4 Gabbard also said she hasn't seen evidence that Jeffrey Epstein was a US intelligence source. Ron Sachs – CNP for NY Post Devine also pressed Gabbard about online rumors that late notorious sex predator Jeffrey Epstein was an asset of the intelligence community, either domestically or internationally. That speculation was sparked by a second-hand quote reported by the Daily Beast that former Epstein prosecutor Alex Acosta informed Trump's team he was told to give the late pedophile an easier plea deal. 'I was told Epstein 'belonged to intelligence' and to leave it alone,' Acosta allegedly told the Trump team when being considered to serve as labor secretary. During a press conference in 2020, Acosta demurred when pressed on that. A Justice Department Office of Professional Responsibility report later claimed Acosta denied that Epstein was an intelligence asset. 'Acosta stated to OPR that 'the answer is 'no,' ' the report said on the matter. Gabbard said she has seen no evidence that Epstein was some sort of US intelligence source, a conclusion echoed by other Trump administration officials. 'I can tell you, I haven't seen anything that's come across my desk that reflects that,' Gabbard told Devine. 'The president has made clear, if there's anything that's credible out there, put it out there for the American people to see, and I would do exactly that.'
