Tehran presses Europe to revise nuclear stance amid rising tensions
Iran has pressed European powers to revise their approach to nuclear negotiations, following a new round of deputy-level talks in Istanbul with the so-called E3—Britain, France, and Germany—amid heightened tensions over recent Israeli and American military strikes on Iranian territory.
Speaking on Friday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the meeting aimed to continue discussions on the future of the nuclear deal and address what he described as serious violations of international law by Israel and the United States. 'The recent aggression against Iran was a key point of contention,' he noted, adding that Tehran accused the West of failing to condemn the strikes, which it views as breaches of the UN Charter.
The talks also touched on the controversial reactivation of sanctions mechanisms. According to Takht-Ravanchi, Iran firmly rejected any moves by the European trio to reimpose penalties, asserting that such steps lack legal foundation. He emphasized that Iran considers its uranium enrichment rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to be 'inalienable' and insisted that sanctions be lifted without delay.
Takht-Ravanchi also disclosed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently sent a formal letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, detailing Tehran's legal position regarding the nuclear file. The letter has been officially recorded with the United Nations, he said.
In a separate statement ahead of the meeting, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei described the Istanbul talks as a chance for European governments to 'correct their course' and take a more pragmatic stance. He warned that Europe's prior conduct had eroded its credibility and weakened its role at the negotiating table.
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