Ahead Of New Talks, Iran Blames Europeans For Nuclear Deal Collapse
The 2015 deal, reached between Iran and the UN Security Council's permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany, imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
But it unravelled in 2018 when the United States, during Donald Trump's first term as president, unilaterally withdrew from the accord and reimposed sweeping sanctions.
The Europeans had pledged continued support for the deal, but the mechanism intended to offset US sanctions never materialised effectively and many Western firms were forced to exit Iran, which has since faced a deepening economic crisis.
"The European parties have been at fault and negligent in implementing" the nuclear agreement, said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei.
His remarks come ahead of a meeting Friday in Istanbul between Iranian officials and representatives from Britain, France and Germany to discuss the future of the nuclear deal.
Ahead of those talks, Baqaei said Tehran would host a trilateral meeting on Tuesday about the nuclear issue and the potential reimposition of sanctions with Chinese and Russian representatives.
In recent weeks, the three European powers have threatened to trigger the UN "snapback" mechanism to reimpose international sanctions on Tehran, accusing it of breaching its nuclear commitments.
A German diplomatic source had told AFP on Sunday the E3 were in contact with Tehran and said "Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon".
"That is why Germany, France and the United Kingdom are continuing to work intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme," the source said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed country currently enriching uranium to 60 percent -- far beyond the 3.67 percent cap set by the 2015 accord.
That is a short step from the 90 percent enrichment required for a nuclear weapon.
Using the snapback clause was "meaningless, unjustifiable and immoral", Baqaei told a news conference, arguing that Iran only began distancing itself from the agreement in response to Western non-compliance.
"Iran's reduction of its commitments was carried out in accordance with the provisions outlined in the agreement," he said.
Western powers -- led by the United States and backed by Israel, Iran's arch-enemy -- have long accused Tehran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons capability.
Iran has repeatedly denied this, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes such as energy production.
Tehran and Washington had held five rounds of nuclear talks since April, but a planned meeting on June 15 was cancelled after Israel launched a military strike on Iran on June 13, triggering a 12-day conflict.
"At this stage, we have no intention of speaking with America," Baqaei said Monday.
Israel launched on June 13 a wave of surprise strikes on its regional nemesis, targeting key military and nuclear facilities.
The United States launched its own set of strikes against Iran's nuclear programme on June 22, hitting the uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, in Qom province south of Tehran, as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Business Times
36 minutes ago
- Int'l Business Times
Thailand And Cambodia Truce Talks Due But Strikes Continue
Thailand and Cambodia's leaders are due to meet for peace talks on Monday, as a festering territorial dispute along their shared frontier dragged into a fifth day of open combat. At least 35 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced since Thursday as the countries fight over a smattering of contested ancient temples. In an effort initiated by US President Donald Trump, Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet will meet at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT) in Kuala Lumpur. China is also expected to send a delegation. Ahead of the talks, Thailand and Cambodia traded fresh fire and accusations. "This is the fifth day that Thailand has invaded Cambodia's territory with heavy weapons and with the deployment of a lot of troops to grab Cambodia's land," said defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata. The previous night, Thailand's military said Cambodian snipers were camping in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets. It said fighting was ongoing at seven areas along the rural border region, marked by a ridge of hills surrounded by wild jungle and agricultural land where locals farm rubber and rice. "The situation remains highly tense, and it is anticipated that Cambodia may be preparing for a major military operation prior to entering negotiations," the Thai military statement read. On Saturday, Trump said he made a late-night call to both leaders, who had agreed to "quickly work out" a truce. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the summit -- which will be mediated by Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim -- was also organised "with the participation of China" -- a key trade and political ally. "The purpose of this meeting is to achieve an immediate ceasefire, which was initiated by President Donald Trump and agreed to by both prime ministers of Cambodia and Thailand," Hun Manet said. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US officials "are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts", while Anwar told domestic media he would focus on securing an "immediate ceasefire". Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn marked his 73rd birthday on Monday, but a notice in the country's Royal Gazette said his public celebrations scheduled for Bangkok's Grand Palace have been cancelled amid the strife. Both Thailand and Cambodia have agreed in principle to a truce -- but accused each other of undermining armistice efforts and of firing first. Trump has threatened both countries with eye-watering levies in his global tariff blitz unless they agree to independent trade deals. "When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!" he wrote on social media. But each side has also blamed the other for undermining peace efforts. The Thai foreign ministry accused Cambodian forces of firing shells into civilian homes in Surin province. "Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached while Cambodia is severely lacking in good faith," the ministry said. Meanwhile, Cambodia's defence ministry accused Thailand of "deliberate and coordinated acts of aggression". Thailand says eight of its soldiers and 14 civilians have been killed, while Cambodia has confirmed eight civilian and five military deaths. The Thai military said it had returned the bodies of 12 Cambodian soldiers killed in combat. The conflict has forced more than 138,000 people from Thailand's border regions, and 80,000 have been driven from their homes in Cambodia. The Cambodian government has also accused Thai forces of using cluster munitions, while Bangkok has accused Phnom Penh of targeting hospitals. With the conflict enflaming nationalist sentiments, Thailand issued a warning to its citizens to "refrain from any kind of violence, whether in speech or action" against Cambodian migrants living in the country. Thailand and and Cambodia have exchanged five days of fire in a deadly territorial dispute AFP Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (C) will meet Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai to discuss a ceasefire AFP Each side has blamed the other for undermining peace efforts AFP At least 35 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced AFP
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
US-China Set To Meet With Extension Of Tariff Pause On The Cards
Top economic officials from the United States and China are set to renew negotiations Monday -- with an extension of lower tariff levels on the cards -- as President Donald Trump's trade policy enters a critical week. Talks between the world's top two economies are slated to happen over two days in the Swedish capital Stockholm, and they come as other countries are also rushing to finalise deals with Washington. For dozens of trading partners, failing to strike an agreement in the coming days means they could face significant tariff hikes on exports to the United States come Friday, August 1. The steeper rates, threatened against partners like Brazil and India, would raise the duties their products face from a "baseline" of 10 percent now to levels up to 50 percent. Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have already effectively raised duties on US imports to levels not seen since the 1930s, according to data from The Budget Lab research centre at Yale University. For now, all eyes are on discussions between Washington and Beijing as a delegation including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meets a Chinese team led by Vice Premier He Lifeng in Sweden. While both countries in April imposed tariffs on each other's products that reached triple-digit levels, US duties this year have temporarily been lowered to 30 percent and China's countermeasures slashed to 10 percent. But the 90-day truce, instituted after talks in Geneva in May, is set to expire on August 12. Since the Geneva meeting, the two sides have convened in London to iron out disagreements. "There seems to have been a fairly significant shift in (US) administration thinking on China since particularly the London talks," said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures. "The mood now is much more focused on what's possible to achieve, on warming relations where possible and restraining any factors that could increase tensions," she told AFP. Talks with China have not produced a deal but Benson said both countries have made progress, with certain rare earth and semiconductor flows restarting. "Secretary Bessent has also signalled that he thinks a concrete outcome will be to delay the 90-day tariff pause," she said. "That's also promising, because it indicates that something potentially more substantive is on the horizon." The South China Morning Post, citing sources on both sides, reported Sunday that Washington and Beijing are expected to extend their tariff pause by another 90 days. Trump has announced pacts so far with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, although details have been sparse. An extension of the US-China deal to keep tariffs at reduced levels "would show that both sides see value in continuing talks", said Thibault Denamiel, a fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. US-China Business Council President Sean Stein said the market is not anticipating a detailed readout from Stockholm: "What's more important is the atmosphere coming out." "The business community is optimistic that the two presidents will meet later this year, hopefully in Beijing," he told AFP. "It's clear that on both sides, the final decision-maker is going to be the president." Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said both countries' willingness to meet was a "positive development". For others, the prospect of higher US tariffs and few details from fresh trade deals mark "a far cry from the ideal scenario", said Denamiel. But they show some progress, particularly with partners Washington has signalled are on its priority list like the EU, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea. The EU unveiled a pact with Washington on Sunday while Seoul is rushing to strike an agreement, after Japan and the Philippines already reached the outlines of deals. Breakthroughs have been patchy since Washington promised a flurry of agreements after unveiling, and then swiftly postponing, tariff hikes targeting dozens of economies in April. Denamiel warned of overlooking countries that fall outside Washington's priority list. Solid partnerships are needed, he said, if Washington wants to diversify supply chains, enforce advanced technology controls, and tackle excess Chinese capacity.
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Int'l Business Times
What Is The Status Of US Tariff Negotiations?
US tariff negotiations with key trading partners have shifted into high gear as economies race to avoid steeper duties before an August 1 deadline. Many of these tariff hikes were part of a package first announced in April, under which dozens of economies were due to face higher levies -- up from a 10 percent level -- over their trade surpluses with the United States. The twice-postponed deadline for duties to take effect is now Friday, August 1. But Washington has expanded its group of targets coming up against these tariffs, while announcing agreements with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. A deal with the European Union unveiled on Sunday sees a 15 percent tariff imposed on European exports to the United States, down from the 30 percent that Trump earlier threatened. Where do other US trade talks stand? Seoul is racing to reach a deal with Washington, as Tokyo's success in landing an agreement has "amped up the pressure for South Korea," a government source told AFP. Local media reported that Seoul was preparing to propose more than $100 billion in investment as part of a broader agreement, with expected participation by major firms such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor. The South Korean government did not confirm this. But South Korean officials have outlined proposals to deepen collaboration in sectors like shipbuilding, semiconductors and batteries. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lak has told reporters that the two countries are in "the final and most crucial phase of negotiations" to avert Trump's proposed 25 percent duty. Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal told Bloomberg Television Thursday that he was optimistic his country could reach an agreement with the United States to avert Washington's 26 percent tariff threat. Goyal insisted there were not any sticking points in the US-India relationship or in trade talks, and clarified that immigration rules --- including those around H-1B visas for skilled workers -- had not come up in negotiations. Despite Goyal's remarks, local media reported the prospects of an interim deal before August 1 had dimmed. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said Thursday that officials are "working hard" on negotiations, amid worries that an unfavorable tariff level could hit the self-ruled island's economy. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim said Taipei's negotiating team was "working almost 24 hours a day to achieve trade balance and Taiwan's industrial interests, and even to further deepen cooperation." Although Canada and Mexico were spared from Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs announced in April, goods from both countries entering the United States generally face a separate 25 percent duty if they fall outside a North American trade pact. This figure stands to jump to 30 percent for Mexico come August 1, while the level for Canada was set at 35 percent. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration was "doing everything" possible to avert the duties and that she would speak with Trump if necessary to try to reach a pact. Trump told reporters Friday there was no deal with Canada so far. Brazil is girding for a virtual trade embargo on its planes, grains and other goods if Trump's threatened 50 percent tariff on its exports takes effect on August 1. The United States runs a trade surplus with Latin America's biggest economy, which was not originally expected to face steeper tariffs under Trump's "reciprocal" duties plan. Trump has not attempted to hide the political motivation in targeting Brazil, citing a judicial "witch hunt" against his right-wing ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro, when he unveiled the tariff rate. The political nature of the spat makes a last-minute deal appear less likely.
