The European Union’s top diplomat on Saturday warned of dwindling chances of reviving a 2015 deal limiting Iran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
“The chances of striking a deal and returning to the JCPOA are looming. But we can still do it with an extra effort,” Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter, referring to Atomic by its initials.
“As the coordinator, I am ready at any time to facilitate the resolution of the latest outstanding issues.”
Negotiations to restore the agreement have been at a standstill since stalling in March. An important key point is Tehran’s demand rejected by Washington – that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of the Iranian military, be removed from the US terrorism blacklist.
Borrell’s tweet came after speaking on Friday with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian, who warned Western countries against taking “political action” against Iran at a meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency next week.
The US, France, Britain and Germany want the IAEA’s board of governors to condemn Iran for failing to explain long-running questions over traces of uranium at undeclared sites.
“Any political action by the United States and the three European countries in the IAEA will without doubt provoke a proportionate, effective and immediate response on the part of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Amir-Abdullahian said according to a statement from Borrell. Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian holds a press conference after meeting with his Iraqi counterpart at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on April 13, 2022. (Atta Canare/AFP)
Amir-Abdullahian also hit out at the UN nuclear watchdog, saying the visit by the head of the organization to Israel violated the organization’s “neutrality”.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi visited Israel on Friday for talks with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett focused on Iran’s nuclear program.
A statement from Bennett’s office said the premier warned him that Iran was pushing to develop a nuclear weapon while misleading the world with “false information and lies” to hide its work.
Bennett stressed the “urgent need” to use “by all means” to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, according to the prime minister’s office. He also called on the IAEA to send a “clear and clear message” to Tehran at an upcoming meeting of the Board of Governors dealing with undeclared Iranian nuclear sites.
“Bennett made it clear that Israel prioritizes diplomacy to deny Iran the possibility of developing a nuclear weapon, reserves the right to self-defense and to act against Iran to block its nuclear program.” The international community must not succeed in the relevant time frame,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (R) meets with Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency on June 3, 2022. (Kobi Gideon / GPO)
Grossi’s visit comes as Israel has expressed growing concerns about Iran’s nuclear activities and any possible withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers.
Israel was a staunch opponent of the 2015 nuclear deal and welcomed the Trump administration’s unilateral withdrawal from the deal, which led to its collapse. However, many current and former security officials have begun to say that the withdrawal was a mistake, as Iran has stepped up its nuclear enrichment efforts.
The Biden administration is attempting to renew the deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limiting and monitoring its nuclear program.
Iran has always maintained that its nuclear activities are purely for peaceful purposes, but has pursued uranium enrichment after the collapse of the nuclear deal approached weapons levels.
US intelligence agencies, Western countries and the IAEA have said that Iran carried out an organized nuclear weapons program as far back as 2003. Neither the US nor Israel has denied the use of military force to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
