Iran willing to compromise for deal
Iran could transfer its stocks of enriched uranium to another country in the event of an agreement with the United States on Tehran's nuclear programme, Iran's UN ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani said yesterday, according to news site Al-Monitor.
A transfer of 20% and 60% enriched uranium would not be a red line for Tehran, Iravani said, adding the material could alternatively remain in Iran under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervision.
However, he stressed Iran would not renounce its right to domestic uranium production, a condition the US firmly rejects.
Iravani also ruled out any restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile programme and reiterated that a new agreement would hinge, among other conditions, on the lifting of international sanctions.
His remarks came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X on Saturday Iran was fundamentally willing to resume nuclear negotiations with the US, though he urged President Donald Trump to moderate his tone.
"If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers," Araghchi said.
"Goodwill begets goodwill, and respect begets respect."
Trump recently said that new talks with Iran would take place "next week," though he offered no further details. Several previous rounds of negotiations between Washington and Tehran have failed to yield an agreement.
Earlier this month, tensions escalated sharply when Israel, accusing Iran of fast-approaching a point of no return in its goal of obtaining atomic weapons, carried out strikes on nuclear sites, defence positions, cities and energy infrastructure during a 12-day war.
More than 20 high-ranking Iranian military officials were killed, some in their homes.
The US also intervened with a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Trump later said the attacks had set Iran's nuclear programme back by years and when asked if he would strike again should uranium enrichment continue, he replied in the affirmative, insisting Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.
In response to the attacks, the Iranian parliament passed a law this week suspending co-operation with the IAEA.
However, Tehran has not formally notified the agency, and experts warn that negotiations cannot proceed without the IAEA's technical oversight.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is intended solely for civilian purposes.
The IAEA believes Iran has managed to produce 400kg of uranium with a purity level of 60%.
Experts say this could be used to produce several nuclear weapons if the material were further enriched to 90%.
It is unclear what happened to the stockpile in the wake of the attacks by Israel and the US. — dpa
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
7 hours ago
- Scoop
Memories Of Isfahan And Security Shocks In A Wilder World
In 1975, though Indochina was left in ruins, New Zealanders' OE options still included places now wiped off tourist routes, including a 5 week 'Scandy /Russia' bus trip with 40 'down under' youth, and 3 months from 'London to Katmandu', including Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, in tents right across Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Frequent moves across the region in tents then represented eager adventures of lucky young westerners broadening their life experience of other peoples, places and cultures. Regular relocation in tents now is instead part of terrible trauma of famished families whose homes have been made the rubble graves of relatives. By my bed is a beautiful woven rug from Isfahan's gorgeous market, and on a shelf, hand painted tiles gifted by a mosque guide. Photos of Isfahan from its small 'mountain' overlook the graceful city. Postcards display its majestic blue mosque. All is now at risk, its people and awesome heritage due to Israel's war fever and America's endless supply of lethal weaponry. Is the world nearing 21st century meltdown? Russia and Ukraine, both part of my adopted daughters' heritage, are now war zones. Israel, not satisfied with ongoing genocide in Gaza, West Bank or bombing Lebanon and Syria, has drawn US into war on Iran, ostensibly to destroy nuclear facilities (verified by regular IAEA checks for peaceful energy use only), including one in Isfahan. On our last night there in 1975, two young locals took a friend and I to a lovely restaurant, soon filled with a jubilant wedding party, the bride still in her white gown. My polite host told his story. Under the Shah, two years military service by all young men was compulsory. Disgusted with its 'barbarism', he left to join nomads in the desert, spending his two years' national service teaching their children before returning to his family, who by then presumed him dead. He could not get a driver's license, bank account or anything else revealing his identity, risking prison and torture for 'desertion'. Israel also has 'refusers'. But it takes a strong sense of personal agency to resist patriotic propaganda and pride in military sacrifice from childhood onwards, despite deep structural injustices perpetuated by military power; millions killed and maimed worldwide in living memory, and centuries of precious infrastructure and cultural heritage razed. How long will humanity allow foreign policies underpinned by nihilism and factories profiting from death, while the world burns, glaciers melt and seas rise due to inaction on climate change? Who really believes that we, or the world in general, gain more security with nine nations now armed with nuclear weapons and six additional nations 'sharing' them? US pressures within America and abroad to transfer more government spending from civilian needs to military research and development and industry, resembles a massive international marketing campaign. The power of that industry, burgeoning since World War Two, is comparable to a tumour becoming cancerous as it metastasizes (grows and spreads through the body), swamping vital organs, snuffing life out of the human host, while its lethal products kill 'Others', users seduced by promises of power, dominance or 'security'. In America, democracy has become oligarchy in all but name – government dominated by highly visible and less visible hands of wealthy corporations. 'Tied' sponsorship is required to run for national leadership, enabling sponsors to largely determine national priorities and what will be scrapped. Military spending increases unabated, while federal spending on civilian programs shrinks, shortening life expectancies and hopes of many. New Zealand would be wise to resist such butter to bombs pressures and instead pursue policies which genuinely enhance security. These include stronger support for multilateral institutions to protect human rights and climate, and tweaking skill sets at home from 'enhancing our lethality' to strengthening civil defense responses to intensifying climate change crises, as well as mitigating emissions creating the problem.
NZ Herald
7 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Trump's bill faces some Republican opposition in Senate as its estimated debt cost rises
The United States Senate ploughed ahead today on President Donald Trump's massive tax and immigration agenda as Republicans tried to swat away Democratic policy challenges and contend with its rising impact on the ballooning national debt. Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill would extend tax cuts passed in 2017, enact campaign
Otago Daily Times
8 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Starmer, Glastonbury slam on-stage anti-Israel chants at festival
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organisers said today they were appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance at the festival by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan. During their show on Saturday (local time), the duo chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in reference to the Israel Defense Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military. Police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation, but did not name Bob Vylan or Irish rap band Kneecap, who appeared on the same stage and also criticised Israel. "Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England where the festival is held, said on X late on Saturday. "There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech," Starmer said in a statement. "I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence." The festival organisers criticised the chanting by Bob Vylan, which comprises the guitarist-singer with the stage name Bobby Vylan and a drummer known as Bobbie Vylan. "Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence," it said on Sunday. The Israeli Embassy in Britain condemned the "inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed" on stage. Bob Vylan's band members did not respond to a request for comment. Starmer also criticised Britain's BBC, which transmits much of the festival live, for showing the performance. "The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast," he said. The BBC said some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. "During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language," a spokesperson said. "We have no plans to make the performance available on demand." KNEECAP NEXT ON STAGE Bob Vylan's show on the festival's West Holts stage took place just before controversial Irish rap trio Kneecap played to a huge crowd, leading chants against Starmer and also taking aim at Israel. During the show, frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh accused Israel of committing war crimes, saying: "There's no hiding it." Known by the stage name Mo Chara, he was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert. He has denied the charge. Starmer had said it was ""not appropriate" for Kneecap to play at the festival. A senior member of his government, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, earlier on Sunday criticised the chants by Bob Vylan but added that he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. "I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News. Political commentator Ash Sarkar said it was typical of punk musicians to spark controversy. "Don't book punk bands if you don't want them to do punk stuff," said Sarkar, a contributing editor to Novara Media, a leftist media organisation.
