Europe main factor behind failure in resolving Iran nuclear issue: Russia
Russia’s deputy foreign minister branded Europe on Monday as the main factor behind a failure in finding a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue while stressing Moscow’s support for Tehran’s efforts to achieve the stated goal.
Regarding the possibility of resuming talks between Iran and the United States on the nuclear issue, Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with "International Affairs" magazine that, "Such a prospect exists, and we support our Iranian colleagues and friends in seeking for a negotiated solution."
Ryabkov stressed that the European powers in their political and geopolitical battles for influence have reached a point where they have literally turned their back on a negotiated solution, calling them the main destructive factor in finding such a solution.
The Russian diplomat said the role of the European Union’s bureaucracy is currently extremely negative for the entire system of international relations, adding that this issue fundamentally affects everything, including Iran’s nuclear issue.
Ryabkov said that despite the US and Israel’s acts of aggression against Iran in June as well as Europeans' measures in the UN Security Council against Iran, the Iranians are still committed to a political and negotiated solution for the nuclear issue.
"We support them in this. We believe that this path is the only possible one in the current conditions."
Iran’s nuclear program has been a source of contention with Western countries for more than two decades. While Iran insists that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and aimed at civilian purposes such as energy production and medical research, Western powers — particularly the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — have long expressed concern that Tehran could be seeking the capability to develop nuclear weapons.
Tensions have increased in recent months especially after the three European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal – Germany, France and Britain – activated the so-called snapback mechanism embedded in the nuclear agreement on August 28, which led to the reimposition of international sanctions against Iran.
They accused Iran of not honoring its obligations under the nuclear deal from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 and the European parties to the deal failed to fulfil their commitments.
Tehran has repeatedly said it was the United States and its European allies who undermined the 2015 nuclear deal by failing to honor their commitments not Iran.