logo
Ahead Of New Talks, Iran Blames Europeans For Nuclear Deal Collapse

Ahead Of New Talks, Iran Blames Europeans For Nuclear Deal Collapse

Tehran on Monday blamed European powers for the failure of the 2015 nuclear deal, accusing them of breaking their commitments ahead of renewed talks in Istanbul with Britain, France and Germany.
The 2015 deal, reached between Iran and the UN Security Council's permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany, imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
But it unravelled in 2018 when the United States, during Donald Trump's first term as president, unilaterally withdrew from the accord and reimposed sweeping sanctions.
The Europeans had pledged continued support for the deal, but the mechanism intended to offset US sanctions never materialised effectively and many Western firms were forced to exit Iran, which has since faced a deepening economic crisis.
"The European parties have been at fault and negligent in implementing" the nuclear agreement, said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei.
His remarks come ahead of a meeting Friday in Istanbul between Iranian officials and representatives from Britain, France and Germany to discuss the future of the nuclear deal.
Ahead of those talks, Baqaei said Tehran would host a trilateral meeting on Tuesday about the nuclear issue and the potential reimposition of sanctions with Chinese and Russian representatives.
In recent weeks, the three European powers have threatened to trigger the UN "snapback" mechanism to reimpose international sanctions on Tehran, accusing it of breaching its nuclear commitments.
A German diplomatic source had told AFP on Sunday the E3 were in contact with Tehran and said "Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon".
"That is why Germany, France and the United Kingdom are continuing to work intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme," the source said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is the only non-nuclear-armed country currently enriching uranium to 60 percent -- far beyond the 3.67 percent cap set by the 2015 accord.
That is a short step from the 90 percent enrichment required for a nuclear weapon.
Using the snapback clause was "meaningless, unjustifiable and immoral", Baqaei told a news conference, arguing that Iran only began distancing itself from the agreement in response to Western non-compliance.
"Iran's reduction of its commitments was carried out in accordance with the provisions outlined in the agreement," he said.
Western powers -- led by the United States and backed by Israel, Iran's arch-enemy -- have long accused Tehran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons capability.
Iran has repeatedly denied this, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes such as energy production.
Tehran and Washington had held five rounds of nuclear talks since April, but a planned meeting on June 15 was cancelled after Israel launched a military strike on Iran on June 13, triggering a 12-day conflict.
"At this stage, we have no intention of speaking with America," Baqaei said Monday.
Israel launched on June 13 a wave of surprise strikes on its regional nemesis, targeting key military and nuclear facilities.
The United States launched its own set of strikes against Iran's nuclear programme on June 22, hitting the uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, in Qom province south of Tehran, as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

EU, China mark 50 years of diplomatic ties – DW – 07/24/2025
EU, China mark 50 years of diplomatic ties – DW – 07/24/2025

DW

time2 hours ago

  • DW

EU, China mark 50 years of diplomatic ties – DW – 07/24/2025

Relations between the EU and China have been strained by trade frictions. Both sides are also grappling with heightened geopolitical and economic tensions. DW has the between the European Union and China hit rock bottom prior to the summit. Both sides have significant disagreements over trade, with the EU complaining over uneven access to the Chinese market for EU firms, China's chokehold on rare earth minerals, as well as industrial policies and huge subsidies favoring Chinese companies. After Chinese President Xi Jinping declined an invitation to attend, the talks were moved from Brussels to Beijing, and then reduced to one day from two. Read the full story about the current state of ties between China and the European Union. China is a "critical partner" to the European Union with a range of shared interests, state news agency Xinhua said in a commentary piece on Thursday. It comes hours before a key EU-China summit to mark the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic partnership. "As the international landscape grows increasingly fraught, the anniversary offers a timely reminder: China is a critical partner to Europe, not a systemic rival," Xinhua wrote. "Like all major economic players, China and the EU do not agree on everything. But disagreement does not equal confrontation," Xinhua said, adding that the relationship needs more trust. The European Union and China are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa are in Beijing Thursday for the occasion and will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other top leaders. China and the EU are each other's second most important trading partners, but both sides quarrel over market access, industrial policies and Russia's war in Ukraine, among other issues. Brussels has pitched Thursday's talks as "a clear opportunity for detailed, frank, substantive actions around all aspects of our relationship." Beijing said this week ties with the bloc were at a "pivotal juncture" as both China and the EU contend with an aggressive US trade strategy under President Donald Trump. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Welcome to DW's coverage of the EU-China summit. The summit will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the EU and China. It comes as both Beijing and Brussels grapple with heightened geopolitical and economic tensions. Relations between the two sides have also been under stress due to trade frictions. Stay tuned for the latest updates from the summit.

Columbia University To Pay $200 Mn In Clash With Trump
Columbia University To Pay $200 Mn In Clash With Trump

Int'l Business Times

time3 hours ago

  • Int'l Business Times

Columbia University To Pay $200 Mn In Clash With Trump

Columbia University said Wednesday it will pay $200 million to the US government after President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal funding over what he said was its unwillingness to protect Jewish students. In a sweeping deal that will restore the prestigious New York institution's federal monies, Columbia has pledged to obey rules that bar it from taking race into consideration in admissions or hiring, among other concessions. "Columbia University has reached an agreement with the United States government to resolve multiple federal agency investigations into alleged violations of federal anti-discrimination laws," a statement said, adding that the $200 million would be paid over three years. The university will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it said. "Under today's agreement, a vast majority of the federal grants which were terminated or paused in March 2025 will be reinstated and Columbia's access to billions of dollars in current and future grants will be restored," the statement said. The promise of the federal funding spigot reopening offers relief for the university, which was under growing financial pressure, despite a comfortable endowment and a reputation it can bank on. The agreement also represents a victory for Trump, who has repeatedly claimed elite universities brainwash students against his nationalist ideas with left-wing bias. The centuries-old Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is also in a fight with the administration over Trump's threats to rip away federal funding, and Wednesday's carefully worded agreement -- in which Columbia admitted no wrongdoing -- could offer a framework for future deals. "This agreement marks an important step forward after a period of sustained federal scrutiny and institutional uncertainty," Columbia's acting president Claire Shipman said. "The settlement was carefully crafted to protect the values that define us and allow our essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track. "Importantly, it safeguards our independence, a critical condition for academic excellence and scholarly exploration, work that is vital to the public interest." Under the settlement, Columbia will maintain a security force to prevent demonstrations in academic spaces, such as those that rocked the campus last year when pro-Palestinian protestors clashed with law enforcement and occupied university buildings. The school also agreed to "promptly provide" federal authorities with any requested information on "disciplinary actions involving student visa-holders resulting in expulsions or suspensions, and arrest records that Columbia is aware of for criminal activity, including trespass or other violation of law." Columbia found itself at the center of a firestorm last year over claims of anti-Semitism triggered by campus protests against Israel's war in Gaza. Some Jewish students claimed they were intimidated and that authorities did not act to protect them. The school announced a wave of various student punishments on Tuesday, including expulsions and degree revocations, against nearly 80 students involved in the pro-Palestinian protest movement that has called on the university to divest from Israel. "Our institution must focus on delivering on its academic mission for our community," Columbia said in a statement about student protests on its campus. "Disruptions to academic activities are in violation of University policies and rules, and such violations will necessarily generate consequences." While the university appears to be acquiescing to the Trump administration's demands to quash student protest, one of the most prominent leaders of the US pro-Palestinian campus protests is still raising his voice. Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate active in campus demonstrations, has sued the Trump administration for $20 million over his arrest and detention by immigration agents. Khalil, a legal permanent resident of the United States who is married to a US citizen, missed the birth of his son while being held in a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana. He called the lawsuit a "first step towards accountability." Former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil has sued the Trump administration for $20 million in what he says was wrongful detention by immigration agents AFP

Asian Markets Extend Gains On US Trade Deal Hopes
Asian Markets Extend Gains On US Trade Deal Hopes

Int'l Business Times

time3 hours ago

  • Int'l Business Times

Asian Markets Extend Gains On US Trade Deal Hopes

Asian markets extended the week's gains Thursday on optimism other countries will follow up Japan's US trade deal with ones of their own, with speculation building that the European Union is on course. Investors have been on a roll in recent weeks on bets that governments will eventually hammer out pacts with Donald Trump ahead of the US president's August 1 deadline. The mood has been upbeat since news that Japan had reached a deal to lower sweeping tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent, including those on the country's crucial car sector. The breakthrough fanned hopes that others were in the pipeline. However, there is talk that the European Union is edging towards an agreement. Reports say Brussels could get something similar to Japan, with tariffs cut to 15 percent -- from the threatened 30 percent. The Financial Times said the two would waive tariffs on some products, including aircraft, spirits and medical devices. That came after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said negotiations were making progress, with talks planned later in the day between the bloc's top trade negotiator and his American counterpart. Analysts said a deal with Washington's biggest trading entity would provide a massive boost to equities However, failure to reach a deal, triggering Trump's 30 percent levies on August 1, could cause havoc on markets, analysts warned. France has been loudest in insisting Brussels must show it is willing to deploy its trade weapon, known as the anti-coercion instrument -- allowing officials to take measures such as import and export restrictions on goods and services. Neil Wilson at Saxo Markets warned that would end up "effectively killing trade between the two... the nuclear option is on the table it seems, but for the moment expectation seems to be veering towards a deal". After another record day for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq on Wall Street, Asia picked up the baton and ran. Tokyo piled on two percent, having jumped more than three percent Wednesday on the trade deal, while Hong Kong continued its standout year with another advance. Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei and Manila also rose. Traders are also keeping an eye on developments in Tokyo after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba denied discussing his resignation with party elders on Wednesday, as speculation about his future intensified following a weekend election debacle. Despite the saga, the yen extended its gains, briefly hitting 145.86 per dollar as the trade deal allows investors to turn their attention to the Bank of Japan's policy meeting next week hoping for guidance on its next interest rate hike. The unit had been sitting around 147.90 before the deal. Bank officials have held off rocking the boat on the issue amid tariff uncertainty, but observers say the agreement can allow them to reconsider lifting in October. Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 2.0 percent at 41,983.50 (break) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.3 percent at 25,606.58 Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,588.11 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 146.06 yen from 146.47 yen on Wednesday Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1772 from $1.1777 Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3582 from $1.3579 Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.66 pence from 86.68 pence West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $65.47 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.3 percent at $68.71 per barrel New York - Dow: UP 1.1 percent at 45,010.29 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 9,061.49 (close)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store