Latest news with #MajidTakht-Ravanchi
Gulf Insider
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
UN Watchdog Chief Believes Inspectors Will Return To Iran
Iranian diplomats have concluded talks with their European counterparts from Germany, the UK, and France on Friday to revive nuclear negotiations, amid warnings from the three European nations that they may activate the 'snapback' UN sanctions mechanism outlined in the defunct 2015 nuclear agreement. The Istanbul-hosted meeting lasted about four hours and marks the first such engagement since Israel's mid-June strikes on Iran, which triggered a 12-day conflict, at the end of which the US intervened on Israel's side and bombed three key nuclear facilities. Throughout the June war, top Iranian military commanders, nuclear experts, and hundreds of civilians were killed. Iran has said its nuclear sites were 'destroyed' but still maintains the capability and 'right' to enrich uranium for its domestic nuclear energy program. Following Friday's talks, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who attended alongside senior diplomat Majid Takht-Ravanchi, described the discussions with the European powers as 'serious, frank, and detailed'. The talks were focused on sanctions relief and nuclear concerns, which each side expressed willingness to continue the discussions. Despite Iran recently booting IAEA nuclear inspectors from the country, the UN nuclear watchdog remains optimistic of the return of a monitoring regimen: The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog is optimistic that inspectors will be able to return to Iran later this year, he said on Friday. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters that it was important to start discussing with Tehran the modalities of restarting visits. 'We need to agree on where to go, how to do it. We need to listen to Iran in terms of what they consider should be the precautions to be taken,' he said. Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has once again warned that if 'snapback' sanctions are reinstated, Iran would respond with punitive countermeasures, including the possibility of withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The NPT requires non-nuclear states to keep their nuclear activities strictly for peaceful, civilian use. Notably, Israel, which is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons – possibly dozens or over one hundred – has not signed the treaty, and Tehran has long blasted this international hypocrisy. Under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal, Tehran committed to restricting its nuclear program to civilian purposes in return for the lifting of UN sanctions but the historic agreement included a 'snapback' provision allowing for the reimposition of those sanctions if Iran is found to be in violation of the agreement. But after Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA in April 2018, Iran has been saying essentially 'what deal?' …and that Washington can no longer be trusted. Also read: Kabul Edges Toward Disaster As It Becomes First Modern Capital City To Run Out Of Water
Shafaq News
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Tehran presses Europe to revise nuclear stance amid rising tensions
Shafaq News – Tehran Iran has pressed European powers to revise their approach to nuclear negotiations, following a new round of deputy-level talks in Istanbul with the so-called E3—Britain, France, and Germany—amid heightened tensions over recent Israeli and American military strikes on Iranian territory. Speaking on Friday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the meeting aimed to continue discussions on the future of the nuclear deal and address what he described as serious violations of international law by Israel and the United States. 'The recent aggression against Iran was a key point of contention,' he noted, adding that Tehran accused the West of failing to condemn the strikes, which it views as breaches of the UN Charter. The talks also touched on the controversial reactivation of sanctions mechanisms. According to Takht-Ravanchi, Iran firmly rejected any moves by the European trio to reimpose penalties, asserting that such steps lack legal foundation. He emphasized that Iran considers its uranium enrichment rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to be 'inalienable' and insisted that sanctions be lifted without delay. Takht-Ravanchi also disclosed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently sent a formal letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, detailing Tehran's legal position regarding the nuclear file. The letter has been officially recorded with the United Nations, he said. In a separate statement ahead of the meeting, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described the Istanbul talks as a chance for European governments to 'correct their course' and take a more pragmatic stance. He warned that Europe's prior conduct had eroded its credibility and weakened its role at the negotiating table.
Hans India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Iran, European countries resume nuclear talks in Istanbul
Tehran: Nuclear talks between Iran and the three European countries of France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, began in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday. The Iranian delegation is headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told the official news agency IRNA that the talks would be an opportunity for the three European countries to rectify their attitude towards Iran and test their approach to the country's nuclear program, Xinhua news agency reported. Speaking previously at a weekly press conference, Baghaei said the talks would focus on the removal of sanctions and issues related to Tehran's "peaceful" nuclear programme, noting that Iran would present its demands seriously at the upcoming meeting. Since September last year, Iran and the E3 have held six rounds of talks on a range of issues, including Tehran's nuclear programme and the removal of sanctions. The latest round took place in Istanbul in mid-May. Earlier today, Araghchi reiterated Tehran's commitment to uranium enrichment ahead of resumption of talks with the European nations. He also mentioned that Iran would continue its peaceful nuclear programme, including uranium enrichment, stressing the country's inalienable rights under the international law. On June 13, Israel launched a massive airstrike targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites in the Operation named "Rising Lion." A week after, the US carried out strikes at three nuclear sites of Iran, a move Tehran said is a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The US and Israel have repeatedly expressed opposition to Iran's peaceful nuclear enrichment activities. However, Iran has defended its sovereign right in conducting nuclear enrichment for peaceful and civilian purposes. Araghchi expressed Iran's readiness to advance its nuclear programme within a logical and reasonable framework, aiming to build trust with concerned nations. However, he stressed that such trust must be two-way with respect given to Iran's rights to peaceful nuclear energy, including enrichment, the Iranian news agency reported.
New Indian Express
25-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Iran says it held 'frank' nuclear talks with European powers
ISTANBUL: Iranian diplomats said they held "frank and detailed" nuclear talks on Friday with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, who have threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran fails to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors. The meeting in Istanbul was the first since Israel launched an attack on Iran last month targeting key nuclear and military sites, sparking a 12-day war and leading Tehran to pull away from working with the UN watchdog. The European diplomats were seen leaving the Iranian consulate shortly before 1100 GMT after spending several hours inside. Israel's offensive , which killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others and in which residential areas and military sites were struck also derailed US-Iran nuclear talks that began in April. Since then, the European powers, known as the E3, have threatened to trigger a so-called "snapback mechanism" under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal that would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran by the end of August. The sanctions trigger expires in October, and Tehran has warned of consequences should the E3 opt to activate it. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who attended the talks alongside senior Iranian diplomat Majid Takht-Ravanchi, wrote on X he had used the meeting to criticise the European stance on the 12-day conflict with Israel. He said the snapback mechanism had also been discussed, adding: "It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue."
Saudi Gazette
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Iran, European powers resume nuclear talks in Istanbul
ISTANBUL — Delegations from Iran and the European trio of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) reconvened in Istanbul on Friday for a second round of nuclear negotiations aimed at reviving stalled diplomatic efforts surrounding Tehran's atomic program. The talks are being held behind closed doors at Iran's Consulate General in Istanbul, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Ministers Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi representing Tehran in the discussions. Vehicles carrying the respective delegations were seen arriving at the consulate earlier in the day, signaling the quiet but deliberate restart of talks that had been interrupted by recent regional tensions. This round follows a May 16 meeting between the E3 and Iranian officials, also in Istanbul, where both sides agreed to maintain communication channels. The latest meeting was convened at the request of the European signatories to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which has faced persistent challenges since the United States' withdrawal in 2018. The dialogue is occurring in parallel with indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington, though those have remained on hold since June 13, when Israel launched an airstrike on Iranian territory, prompting a pause in multilateral diplomatic efforts. — Agencies
