Iran blames ‘wrong policies’ for dwindling E3 role in nuclear talks
Next round of talks to be held in Rome
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi blamed the wrong policies adopted by France, German and Britain for their diminished role in the ongoing nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.
However, he said that Iran is not willing for this to happen, and that is why the Islamic Republic has proposed a meeting with the three European countries which are party to the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Iran will hold talks with France, Britain and Germany in Rome on Friday, Araghchi told reporters on the sidelines of the Iranian administration’s weekly cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday.
Underlining that Tehran is keen to resolve its peaceful nuclear issue within a “global understanding,” the top diplomat said, “We are continuing our negotiations with Europe, but the main talks are currently underway with the United States … and the International Atomic Energy Agency will have an important role in the future if an agreement is reached.”
Since April 12, Iran and the United States have held three rounds of negotiations to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran’s nuclear program.
Fourth round of talks in Rome
Araghchi said the fourth round of negotiations will be held in the Italian capital of Rome on Saturday. The two sides have so far described the talks as “positive and constructive.”
In response to a question about whether the exclusion of European countries from the negotiations was Iran’s or the US’s decision, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday, “Neither, it was their own choice.”
The three European countries had key roles in the conclusion of the 2015 nuclear deal from which the US withdrew in 2018 and reimposed sanctions against Iran. A move that left the future of the agreement in limbo specially after the three European countries failed to fulfill their commitments envisaged in the nuclear agreement which is known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Despite their inability to fulfil their commitments under the JCPOA, Iran has called for cooperation on different areas including the nuclear issue.
Since September, Tehran and the three European powers have met several times to discuss their ties and the nuclear issue.
The most recent meeting in March was held at the technical level, looking at the parameters of a future deal to secure a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions.
Despite Iran’s goodwill, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned that Paris will not think twice about reimposing United Nations sanctions on Iran if negotiations with the US do not succeed.
The 2015 nuclear deal with Iran expires in October and the E3 has the power to initiate its mechanism for reimposing sanctions, called snapback, at the Security Council.
In response, Iran’s ambassador to the UN lambasted the French foreign minister’s open threat.
‘Economic blackmail’
“Resorting to threats and economic blackmail is entirely unacceptable and represents a clear breach of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter,” Amir Saeid Iravani wrote in letters to UN chief General Antonio Guterres and Security Council head Jérôme Bonnafont.
Iravani said France’s threat to trigger the so-called snapback mechanism despite its own failure to honor its commitments contradicts the fundamental principles of international law that preclude a party from claiming rights under an agreement while simultaneously failing to fulfill its obligations.
“Such an action is legally and procedurally flawed, unacceptable, and invalid, and would undermine the credibility of the Security Council,” he added.
The snapback mechanism is triggered simply by the assertion of significant non-compliance on the part of a participating state, a prerogative the West might abuse based on its accusations.