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Spox: Iran’s defense capabilities not up for negotiations with E3
Iran said on Monday that its defense capabilities were not up for negotiations, after France called for a "comprehensive deal" with Tehran that covers its missile program and regional influence.
“Our talks with European sides are clear: they focus on lifting sanctions and the nuclear issue,” he said, adding, “Raising unrelated topics sporadically is a sign of confusion among the European parties,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said during his weekly press conference.
“There will be absolutely no discussion on our defense capabilities,” he said.
On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told CBS News show "Face The Nation" that Western governments were seeking a "comprehensive agreement" with Iran, in part to avert the "risk" that it could covertly pursue a nuclear weapon – an issue Tehran has consistently denied.
Barrot said such agreement would include "the nuclear dimension" as well as the "ballistic component" and what he called the regional destabilization activities that Iran has been conducting.
His remarks followed a meeting on Friday between Iranian diplomats and counterparts from France, Germany, and Britain – the first nuclear talks after an aggression by the Israeli regime, which targeted Iran’s residential areas, nuclear facilities and military sites. The aggression claimed the lives of nearly 1,100 Iranians. The United States briefly joined the war, striking key nuclear sites.
Snapback mechanism
Friday's talks in Istanbul came as the three European powers, known as the E3, have in recent weeks threatened to trigger a so-called "snapback mechanism" under a 2015 nuclear deal which would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran.
"Unless a new and robust and durable and verifiable agreement is reached by the end of the summer, France, Germany and the UK will have no other choice but to reapply the global embargo that were lifted 10 years ago," said Barrot.
Iran has previously warned that Tehran could withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if sanctions were reimposed.
"One cannot expect a country to remain in the treaty while being deprived of its stated rights, particularly the peaceful use of nuclear energy."
Regarding the snapback mechanism, the Iranian official said the European countries have no legal authority to activate the mechanism.
“Such a right does not exist, and we oppose the very essence of this issue. We have communicated our position to them,” he said.
The last month aggression against Iran by Israel derailed US-Iran nuclear negotiations that began in April, and prompted Iran to suspend its cooperation with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog.
Baqaei said the UN nuclear watchdog will make a visit to Iran within the next two weeks.
Zangezur Corridor
He also referred to the proposed Zangezur Corridor that would pass through Armenia and connect Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan.
Iran has in the past opposed the plan because it would cut off the transport routes connecting its territories to Armenia.
Baqaei said that the expansion of transportation routes should not in any way violate the national sovereignty of the countries and their territorial integrity, and should not cause changes in the geopolitics of the region or the recognized borders.