Latest news with #EuropeanPowers
ABC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Iran meets E3 in Istanbul to discuss nuclear program
Iranian representatives have met with European powers in Istanbul to discuss the Islamic republic's nuclear program - the first discussions since the 12 day war between Iran and Israel in June.
Wall Street Journal
7 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Iran to Resume Talks in Nuclear Program With United Nations Agency
Iran will host a delegation from the United Nations atomic agency in the next few weeks, a top Iranian official said Wednesday, the first indication from Tehran that it may allow international inspectors to resume monitoring nuclear work in the country. The move comes as European powers and Iran are scheduled to hold talks on Friday to explore the prospects of negotiations resuming between Iran and the U.S. following the Israeli and U.S. military strikes against Iran's nuclear sites last month.
France 24
22-07-2025
- Business
- France 24
Iran to continue nuclear enrichment despite US strikes, ahead of European talks
Iran has no plans to abandon its nuclear programme including uranium enrichment despite the "severe" damage caused by US strikes to its facilities, the country's foreign minister said ahead of renewed talks with European powers. Iran is scheduled to meet Britain, France and Germany in Istanbul on Friday, to discuss its nuclear programme, with Tehran accusing European powers of scuppering a landmark 2015 nuclear deal. The meeting will be the first since Iran's 12-day war with Israel last month, during which the United States carried out strikes against Tehran's nuclear facilities. For now, enrichment "is stopped because, yes, damages are serious and severe," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" on Monday. "But obviously we cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists," he continued, calling it a source of "national pride". US President Donald Trump responded to the comments on his platform Truth Social, saying Washington would carry out strikes again "if necessary". The 2015 agreement, reached between Iran and UN Security Council permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany, imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. However, it unravelled in 2018 when the United States, during Trump's first term, unilaterally withdrew and reimposed sweeping sanctions. Though Europe pledged continued support, a mechanism intended to offset US sanctions never effectively materialised, forcing many Western firms to exit Iran and deepening its economic crisis. "Iran holds the European parties responsible for negligence in implementing the agreement," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei ahead of Friday's talks in Istanbul on the deal's future. Iran will also host a trilateral meeting Tuesday with Chinese and Russian representatives to discuss the nuclear issue and potential sanctions. The Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing would "continue to play a constructive role in pushing relevant sides to restart dialogue and negotiations, and reach a solution that takes in account the legitimate concerns of all parties". In recent weeks, the three European powers have threatened to reimpose international sanctions on Tehran, accusing it of breaching its nuclear commitments. Germany said the Istanbul talks would be at the expert level, with the European trio, or E3, working "flat out" to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution. "If no solution is reached by the end of August... the snapback also remains an option for the E3," said its foreign ministry spokesman, Martin Giese. A clause in the 2015 agreement allows for UN sanctions on Iran to be reimposed through a "snapback" mechanism in the event of non-compliance. However, the agreement expires in October, leaving a tight deadline. 01:45 'No intention of speaking with America' 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 -- have long accused Tehran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons. 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 starting in April, but a planned meeting on June 15 was cancelled after Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering a 12-day conflict. "At this stage, we have no intention of speaking with America," Baqaei said Monday. Israel launched a wave of surprise strikes on its regional nemesis on June 13, targeting key military and nuclear facilities. The United States launched its own 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.
South China Morning Post
21-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Iran confirms nuclear talks with European powers, first since US strikes
Iran confirmed fresh talks with European powers to be held on Friday in Istanbul, the country's state media reported, the first since the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities a month ago. Advertisement Iranian diplomats will meet counterparts from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, after the trio warned that sanctions could be reimposed on Tehran if it does not return to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme. Western nations and Israel have long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran has consistently denied. 'In response to the request of European countries, Iran has agreed to hold a new round of talks,' said foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai, as quoted by state TV on Monday. Satellite images over Fordow, before and after the US struck the underground nuclear facility. Photo: Planet Labs PBC via Reuters The subject of the talks will be Iran's nuclear programme, it added.
Free Malaysia Today
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Iran says it will respond to reimposition of UN sanctions
Western countries accuse Iran of plotting to build a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies. (EPA Images pic) DUBAI : Iran will react to any reimposition of UN sanctions over its nuclear programme, the country's foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, without elaborating on what actions Tehran might take. A French diplomatic source told Reuters last week that European powers would have to restore UN sanctions on Iran under the so-called 'snapback mechanism' if there were no nuclear deal that guaranteed European security interests. The 'snapback mechanism' is a process that would reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran under a 2015 nuclear deal that lifted the measures in return for restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme. 'The threat to use the snapback mechanism lacks legal and political basis and will be met with an appropriate and proportionate response from the Islamic Republic of Iran,' foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told a press conference, without giving further details. The 2015 deal with Britain, Germany, France, the US, Russia and China – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – states that if the parties cannot resolve accusations of 'significant non-performance' by Iran, the 'snapback mechanism' process can be triggered by the 15-member UN security council. 'The European parties, who are constantly trying to use this possibility as a tool, have themselves committed gross and fundamental violations of their obligations under the JCPOA,' Baghaei said. 'They have failed to fulfill the duties they had undertaken under the JCPOA, so they have no legal or moral standing to resort to this mechanism.' Western countries accuse Iran of plotting to build a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies. The US pulled out of the deal in 2018 under the first administration of president Donald Trump, who called the agreement 'weak'. Trump, whose second presidency began in January, has urged Tehran to return to nuclear negotiations on a new deal after a ceasefire was reached last month that ended a 12-day air war between Iran and Israel that destabilised the Middle East. When asked if Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi would meet with Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, Baghaei said no date or location had been set for resuming the US-Iran nuclear talks.
