Latest news with #EuropeanPowers
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Iran warns of retaliation if European powers make ‘political' use of UN nuclear report
TEHRAN, June 1 — Iran today warned it would retaliate if European powers 'exploit' a UN report showing it has stepped up production of highly enriched uranium. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had sharply increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60 per cent, close to the roughly 90 per cent level needed for atomic weapons. Iran's total amount of enriched uranium now exceeds 45 times the limit authorised by a landmark 2015 agreement with world powers, and is estimated at 9,247.6 kilograms, according to the confidential IAEA report seen by AFP. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement he had told IAEA chief Rafael Grossi in a phone call that 'Iran will respond to any inappropriate action by the European parties' to the 2015 agreement, referring to Britain, France and Germany. The European trio have warned they could reimpose sanctions if Iran's nuclear programme threatens the continent's security. Araghchi urged Grossi in their Saturday call to stop 'parties from exploiting' the nuclear watchdog report 'to advance their political objectives', according to the statement. Iran rejected the IAEA report, the latest move in years-long efforts to restrict its nuclear activities over fears that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. The Islamic republic has denied seeking nuclear arms and says it needs the uranium for civilian power production. — AFP
Al Arabiya
18-05-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Iran says ready to rebuild ‘mutual trust' with Europe
Iran 's top diplomat said Sunday his country was ready to rebuild trust with European powers considering whether to reimpose UN sanctions on the Islamic Republic under a 2015 nuclear deal. 'Iran is ready, should it observe genuine will and an independent approach from the European parties, to begin a new chapter in its relations with Europe,' said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. 'If Europe possesses the necessary will to rectify this path, Iran sees no obstacle to rebuilding mutual trust and expanding relations,' he told a diplomatic forum in Tehran. On Friday, senior Iranian diplomats met with counterparts from Britain, France and Germany for talks on the status of US-Iran nuclear negotiations. Tehran has held four rounds of Oman-mediated nuclear talks with Washington, the highest-level contact between the two foes since the US abandoned a 2015 nuclear accord. US President Donald Trump effectively torpedoed the deal in 2018 during his first term, by unilaterally pulling out and reimposing sanctions on Iran's oil exports and banking sector. A year later, Iran began rolling back its commitments to the agreement, which had offered sanctions relief in return for UN-monitored restrictions on its nuclear activities. The three European powers – party to the 2015 accord – are weighing whether to trigger 'snapback' mechanism, which would reinstate UN sanctions in response to Iranian non-compliance. That option expires in October. Araghchi earlier this month warned of 'irreversible' consequences if Britain, France and Germany moved to reimpose sanctions. The minister had previously proposed visiting London, Paris and Berlin for discussions on the nuclear issue as well as other areas 'of mutual interest and concern.' In his speech on Sunday, he urged the Europeans to focus more on shared interests rather than differences.
LBCI
16-05-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Iran diplomat says discussed status of US talks with European powers
Iranian senior diplomat Kazem Gharibabadi said Friday that the latest status of the Iran-U.S. negotiations was discussed during talks with European powers in Istanbul. "We exchanged views and discussed the latest state of the indirect nuclear negotiations and the lifting of sanctions," said deputy foreign minister Gharibabadi in a post on X, adding, "if necessary, we will meet again to continue the talks." AFP
Asharq Al-Awsat
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Ukraine Says Russian Attacks Continued after Ceasefire Proposed by Europe Kicked In
Ukrainian authorities said Russian attacks against Ukraine continued on Monday, including an overnight assault using more than 100 drones, despite a ceasefire proposed by Europe and Ukraine that Russia did not agree to abide by. The leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv on Saturday and demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin, implicitly rejecting the offer, instead proposed direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul that he said could potentially lead to a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Sunday that the ceasefire offer remained on the table and that he was still waiting for a response from Moscow, but that Ukrainian forces would respond in kind if Russia flouted it. The air force said in its morning readout that Ukraine came under attack overnight from 108 long-range combat drones starting from 11 p.m. (2000 GMT), an hour before the ceasefire was due to kick in. Attacks of this kind unfold over the course of hours as drones fly much slower than missiles. "As of 08:30 (0500 GMT), it was confirmed that 55 Shahed attack (drones)... were shot down in the east, north, south and center of the country," it said, adding that an additional 30 had been lost on radars and caused no damage. A woman was injured by a strike drone in the small port city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk in the Black Sea region of Odesa overnight, the regional governor said. Russia also launched guided bombs at targets in the northeastern Kharkiv region and the northern Sumy region, the air force said. The Ukrainian railway company said a Russian drone attacked a civilian freight train in the east. "The truce proposals are being ignored, hostile attacks on railway infrastructure and rolling stock continue," it wrote in a statement on Telegram. The train's driver received a shrapnel wound in his leg after the train was struck by a drone, it said. "His life is currently no longer in danger," it added. DIPLOMATIC MANEUOVERING The state of play on the sprawling front line was not immediately clear. The military has not yet given a readout that specifically addresses the period from midnight. Russia and Ukraine are both trying to show US President Donald Trump that they are working towards his objective of reaching a rapid peace in Ukraine, while trying to make the other look like the spoiler to his efforts. Kyiv is desperate to unlock more of the US military backing it received from Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden. Moscow senses an opportunity to get relief from a barrage of economic sanctions and engage with the world's biggest economy. Europe meanwhile is doing its best to preserve good relations with Trump despite him imposing tariffs, hoping it can persuade him to swing more forcefully behind Ukraine's cause, which they see as central to the continent's security. A group of European foreign ministers and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas are set to hold talks in London on Monday. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland on Saturday threatened Russia with new sanctions if the truce was violated, though it is unclear what firepower they are able to muster on that front in the near term. Putin dismissed what he said was an attempt to lay down "ultimatums". His foreign ministry spelled out that talks about the root causes of the conflict must precede discussions of a ceasefire. With Russian forces grinding forward, the Kremlin chief has offered few, if any, concessions so far. Russia says a ceasefire would allow Ukraine to catch its breath and rebuild its military. Zelenskiy initially responded guardedly on Sunday after Putin, in a night-time televised statement that coincided with prime time in the US, proposed direct talks in Istanbul on Thursday, May 15. But after Trump told Zelenskiy to agree to Putin's offer "immediately", the Ukrainian leader challenged the Kremlin chief to meet him in person in Istanbul on Thursday. It was far from clear, however, if Putin meant he would attend in person. Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 and make no secret of their contempt for each other.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine says Russian attacks continued after ceasefire proposed by Europe kicked in
By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian authorities said Russian attacks against Ukraine continued on Monday, including an overnight assault using more than 100 drones, despite a ceasefire proposed by Europe and Ukraine that Russia did not agree to abide by. The leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv on Saturday and demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin, implicitly rejecting the offer, instead proposed direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul that he said could potentially lead to a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Sunday that the ceasefire offer remained on the table and that he was still waiting for a response from Moscow, but that Ukrainian forces would respond in kind if Russia flouted it. The air force said in its morning readout that Ukraine came under attack overnight from 108 long-range combat drones starting from 11 p.m. (2000 GMT), an hour before the ceasefire was due to kick in. Attacks of this kind unfold over the course of hours as drones fly much slower than missiles. "As of 08:30 (0500 GMT), it was confirmed that 55 Shahed attack (drones)... were shot down in the east, north, south and centre of the country," it said, adding that an additional 30 had been lost on radars and caused no damage. A woman was injured by a strike drone in the small port city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk in the Black Sea region of Odesa overnight, the regional governor said. Russia also launched guided bombs at targets in the northeastern Kharkiv region and the northern Sumy region, the air force said. The Ukrainian railway company said a Russian drone attacked a civilian freight train in the east. "The truce proposals are being ignored, hostile attacks on railway infrastructure and rolling stock continue," it wrote in a statement on Telegram. The train's driver received a shrapnel wound in his leg after the train was struck by a drone, it said. "His life is currently no longer in danger," it added. DIPLOMATIC MANEUOVERING The state of play on the sprawling front line was not immediately clear. The military has not yet given a readout that specifically addresses the period from midnight. Russia and Ukraine are both trying to show U.S. President Donald Trump that they are working towards his objective of reaching a rapid peace in Ukraine, while trying to make the other look like the spoiler to his efforts. Kyiv is desperate to unlock more of the U.S. military backing it received from Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden. Moscow senses an opportunity to get relief from a barrage of economic sanctions and engage with the world's biggest economy. Europe meanwhile is doing its best to preserve good relations with Trump despite him imposing tariffs, hoping it can persuade him to swing more forcefully behind Ukraine's cause, which they see as central to the continent's security. A group of European foreign ministers and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas are set to hold talks in London on Monday. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland on Saturday threatened Russia with new sanctions if the truce was violated, though it is unclear what firepower they are able to muster on that front in the near term. Putin dismissed what he said was an attempt to lay down "ultimatums". His foreign ministry spelled out that talks about the root causes of the conflict must precede discussions of a ceasefire. With Russian forces grinding forward, the Kremlin chief has offered few, if any, concessions so far. Russia says a ceasefire would allow Ukraine to catch its breath and rebuild its military. Zelenskiy initially responded guardedly on Sunday after Putin, in a night-time televised statement that coincided with prime time in the U.S., proposed direct talks in Istanbul on Thursday, May 15. But after Trump told Zelenskiy to agree to Putin's offer "immediately", the Ukrainian leader challenged the Kremlin chief to meet him in person in Istanbul on Thursday. It was far from clear, however, if Putin meant he would attend in person. Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 and make no secret of their contempt for each other.
