Iran notifies EU of ‘limited’opportunity for nuclear diplomacy
Iran’s foreign minister said in a warning to the European countries that an opportunity has arisen for the revival of nuclear negotiations but it is “limited.”
Abbas Araghchi’s comments came after the head of UN nuclear watchdog Rafael Grossi visited Iran and held talks with high-ranking officials.
“There is still an opportunity for diplomacy, although this opportunity is not much, it is a limited opportunity,” Araghchi said of Iran’s nuclear program in an interview with the state television.
Talks, though, could resume between Iran and the European countries soon towards enabling the revival of the 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the top diplomat said.
He reminded that the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA upon its conclusion, would expire next October.
“Therefore, if we fall short of coming to an agreement before that, we will come across some critical conditions.”
However, Iran was “completely ready” to engage in fresh negotiations that would yield results if the other parties were “truly willing” to lead the talks towards fruition too, according to Araghchi.
The visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director general is seen as one of the last chances for diplomacy before US President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.
During his first term between 2017 and 2021, Trump imposed a policy known as “maximum pressure” against Iran.
This included Washington tearing up the nuclear deal that had been reached under his predecessor, Barack Obama in 2015.
Trump reinstated heavy sanctions, which the current US administration of Joe Biden has maintained.
“Our nuclear path in the next year will be a sensitive and complicated one, but we are prepared for any scenario and conditions,” Araghchi said on Saturday.
He said Iran will be ready for both “confrontation” and “cooperation”, whichever path the other side decides to follow.
During his visit, the IAEA chief held talks with Araghchi as well as with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami.
Grossi also toured the key uranium enrichment plants of Natanz and Fordo in central Iran.
IAEA meeting
His visit came ahead of a meeting of the IAEA’s Board of Governors later this month at which Britain, France and Germany could propose a new anti-Iran resolution.
In his interview on Saturday, Araghchi warned against such a measure.
“If a resolution is passed against us, it will face reciprocal actions from Iran. We will take new measures in our nuclear program that they will certainly not like.”
“It looks like there is a political approach in this area, [as part of which] the Westerners are trying to force the agency’s Director General [Rafael Grossi] into complicating the situation,” the top diplomat stated.
Expectations have run high that Trump will take a harder line with Tehran when he takes office in January.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that Trump’s tech billionaire ally Elon Musk had met the Iranian ambassador to the UN in a bid to defuse Tehran-Washington tensions.
Araghchi in his interview on Saturday denied that such a meeting had taken place.
“Now is not the time for such meetings. It is not wise, and there is no will for it.”
Israel’s attacks
During his interview, Araghchi also warned the Israeli regime about the consequences of launching further aggression against Iran, including the country’s nuclear facilities.
“Whenever the Zionist regime takes an action against the Islamic Republic, we will respond with comparable and proportionate measures,” the top diplomat said.
“In fact, they know what will happen if they carry out an attack against our nuclear installations,” he added.
The official reminded that the regime has issued a number of threats against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites, which Tehran has duly reported to the IAEA.