Iran Committed To Non-Proliferation Treaty, Foreign Minister Says
Iran remains committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its safeguards agreement, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday, a day after Tehran enacted a law suspending cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
"Our cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) will be channeled through Iran's Supreme National Security Council for obvious safety and security reasons," Araqchi wrote in a post on X.
President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday enacted the legislation passed by parliament last week to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, a move the U.S. called "unacceptable."
Araqchi's comment on X was in response to a call from Germany's Foreign Ministry urging Tehran to reverse its decision to shelve cooperation with the IAEA.
Araqchi accused Germany of "explicit support for Israel's unlawful attack on Iran, including safeguarded nuclear sites".
Iran has accused the IAEA of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel's June 13-24 airstrikes on Iranian nuclear installations, which began a day after the U.N. agency's board of governors voted to declare Tehran in violation of its obligations under the NPT.
Western powers have long suspected that Iran has sought to develop the means to build atomic bombs through its declared civilian atomic energy programme. Iran has repeatedly said it is enriching uranium only for peaceful nuclear ends.
IAEA inspectors are mandated to ensure compliance with the NPT by seeking to verify that nuclear programmes in treaty countries are not diverted for military purposes.
The law that went into effect on Wednesday mandates that any future inspection of Iranian nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council.
"We are aware of these reports. The IAEA is awaiting further official information from Iran," the Vienna-based global nuclear watchdog said in a statement.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told a regular briefing on Wednesday that Iran needed to cooperate fully with the IAEA without further delay.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
33 minutes ago
- Hans India
NFTDC plays vital role across defence, space, medicine & electronics sectors: Kishan Reddy
Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy praised the Non-Ferrous Material Technology Development Centre (NFTDC) for its critical contributions to national defense, electronics, electric vehicles (EVs), medicine, space exploration, and other areas by continually advancing technology to meet evolving demands. During his visit to the NFTDC on Thursday, the Union Minister inquired about the ongoing experiments at the centre and later participated in a review meeting with officials. Kishan Reddy acknowledged the guidance received by the organization from distinguished figures, including Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the Missile Man of India and former President, along with renowned scientists such as B.K. Rava, Dr. P. Rama Rao, and Dr. V. Arunachalam. He highlighted that the specialized materials required for major projects such as Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and Gaganyaan, under the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), were sourced from this center using advanced technology. Highlighting the importance of NFTDC in light of the central government's focus on the National Critical Minerals Mission, he indicated that the center will play a crucial role in the recycling and processing of minerals. The Union Minister praised NFTDC for its initiative to develop technology and partner with the private sector to promote further advancements in the field. He advised the officials that if they faced any challenges in their efforts, he would bring those issues to the Prime Minister's attention. In a time characterized by uncertainty in global supply chains for critical minerals, the efforts of NFTDC are steering India toward self-reliance in this sector. Kishan Reddy expressed his aspiration for the institute to become a global hub for advanced magnets and strategic materials technologies.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
36 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Latest LIVE: PM Modi arrives to grand reception in Trinidad & Tobago, meets Indian diaspora
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his first official visit to Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (local time), where he was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Piarco International Airport. He was received by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, along with 38 ministers and four Members of Parliament from the Caribbean nation. This marks Modi's first visit to Trinidad and Tobago as Prime Minister, and the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country since 1999. The visit is taking place at the invitation of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. During his two-day visit from July 3 to 4, Modi is scheduled to meet President Christine Carla Kangaloo and Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar to further strengthen bilateral ties. Torrential rains have once again disrupted life across Himachal Pradesh, leaving more than 37 people dead and causing property damage worth over ₹400 crore, according to the State Disaster Management Authority. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a rain alert for the state until July 7, as monsoon showers continue to lash several regions. Officials from the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority and the Revenue Department said the state has recorded losses exceeding ₹400 crore due to relentless rainfall. Rescue, relief, and search operations are in full swing, particularly in Mandi district, which remains the worst affected. Several roads in the region are blocked, and essential services have been disrupted. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has barred US-based trading firm Jane Street from accessing Indian securities markets for alleged manipulation. In an interim order, Sebi also directed the high-frequency trading firm to disgorge ₹4,844 crore in 'unlawful' gains. The ban will remain in effect until the firm complies with the order to surrender the alleged illegal profits. Sebi's investigation found that Jane Street was responsible for a substantial share of net buying in the 12 Bank Nifty component stocks and their futures. This 'burst of buying' was aimed at influencing the prices of these securities, enabling the firm to take significantly larger and more profitable positions in the highly liquid index options segment.
Mint
42 minutes ago
- Mint
Can AI and drones replace soldiers and jets?
When Ukrainian drones struck deep inside Russia last month and damaged strategic bombers once considered untouchable, it sent shock waves through military circles. Operation Spider's Web was more than a display of technological ingenuity; it challenged longstanding assumptions about modern warfare. An outgunned but nimble force using off-the-shelf drones disrupted a far larger adversary. Speed, asymmetry and creativity outmatched legacy systems. Weeks later, Israel's strike on Iranian nuclear facilities offered a sharper, more enduring lesson: the future of warfare isn't about drones replacing jets—it's about integration. While Ukraine revealed how smart, agile tactics can disrupt an adversary, Israel put on a masterclass in modern warfare by blending conventional and new battlefield technologies. In Israel's opening strike, more than 200 aircraft dropped 300 precision munitions on 100 Iranian targets, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Simultaneously, Israeli quadcopters launched from a clandestine drone base inside Iran destroyed missile launchers aimed at the Jewish state. Using vehicles reportedly smuggled into Iran, Israeli operatives deployed weapons systems and precision missiles to destroy antiaircraft batteries. Acting on intelligence collected over decades, Israel targeted and killed dozens of Iranian military and nuclear officials. Human intelligence, cyber operations, unmanned systems and manned air power operated in the pre-emptive strike—it was a feat of modern military orchestration. The lesson is clear: Successful military operations no longer depend only on overwhelming firepower or technological novelty. They now require synthesis—air and ground, legacy and next-generation, human and machine. Israel's opening strike redefined how the IDF thinks about conflict. According to a former IDF general I spoke with days after the operation, Israeli military leaders accelerated their planning cycles from five years to five months. The pace of technological change, the blurring of operational environments and the shifting tactics of adversaries demanded the faster timeline. To stay ahead on the battlefield, there is no longer time for slow adaptation. This is a warning to democracies, especially the U.S. The wars of the 21st century won't be won by choosing between drones and jets, analog and digital, artificial intelligence and human intuition. They will be won by militaries that combine them—creatively and continuously. Ukraine's drone campaign exemplifies adaptation. Facing a vastly superior military, Kyiv equipped commercial drones with explosives and software. Ukraine destroyed more than 40 Russian aircraft hundreds of miles from the front for a fraction of the cost of a single fighter jet. But while cheap drones represent the tip of the spear, they aren't the spear itself. Israel's air assault required a blend of stealth and brute force, AI and human judgment, unmanned systems and pilots. This was military doctrine catching up to technology. That distinction is where the U.S. military faces its most serious challenge. America's legacy weapons platforms—tanks, ships, aircraft—remain formidable, but they are often disconnected from one another and from the networked, AI-enabled architecture that defines modern conflict. Innovation is bolted onto outdated hardware rather than built into the organization's DNA. AI enhances precision targeting but rarely informs strategy. Interoperability between old and new remains patchy, held back by legacy procurement and bureaucratic stovepipes. Meanwhile, competitors are rapidly advancing. In 2021 China stunned U.S. officials with a hypersonic missile test that circumnavigated the globe. Gen. Mark Milley, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified that it was 'very close" to China's Sputnik moment. The real shock was the integration behind the weapon: space-based guidance, hypersonic propulsion and precision targeting functioning in coordination. Beijing rewired its military around how that capability fits into the broader strategy. By contrast, the U.S. often treats technological upgrades as plug-ins rather than catalysts for larger transformation. This leaves critical gaps—against China, but also against ragtag adversaries in Afghanistan and Iraq who showed they can outmaneuver American forces with cheaper tech and ingenuity. To close this gap, democracies must embrace the entrepreneurial power of the private sector. Venture-capital firms and startups are increasingly driving battlefield innovation. In Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv, small companies often push the edge of what's possible faster than traditional defense contractors. But for this innovation to translate into strategic advantages, defense establishments must connect emerging technologies with military requirements. That means rethinking procurement, creating incentives for experimentation, and making startup integration the norm. If the U.S. can't reconcile its industrial-age forces with digital-age demands, even a massive defense budget won't guarantee superiority. AI and unmanned systems must be treated as integral components of training, war-fighting culture, and objectives. A truly modern military trains every commander to think with drones, and it writes AI into the rules of engagement. Integration is a continuous process of aligning tools, talent, and tactics with the future fight. That future fight is here. Hypersonic weapons, cyberattacks, and autonomous swarms are already operational. Militaries must move faster—on the ground and especially in their thinking. What will separate winners from losers in this new era will be the creativity and coherence with which militaries combine their assets. Ukraine's battlefield improvisation and Israel's strategic integration both underscore this point: Tools matter, but how you use them matters more. The U.S. military can either lead this transition or risk being overtaken by forces quicker to adapt. Democracies, constrained by public accountability and limited by budgets, have no choice but to do more with less—and to do it smarter. They must lead this evolution not only with brute force, but with imagination. Mr. Kaplowitz is founder of 1948 Ventures, a U.S.-based venture-capital firm that invests exclusively in Israeli dual-use technology companies.
