Iran says cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog ‘will take on a new form'
'Our cooperation with the agency has not stopped, but will take on a new form,' said Araghchi, adding that requests to monitor nuclear sites 'will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis... taking into account safety and security issues.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Putin Urges Iran to Take 'Zero Enrichment' Nuclear Deal with US, Axios Reports
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told US President Donald Trump and Iranian officials that he supports the idea of a nuclear deal in which Iran is unable to enrich uranium, Axios reported on Saturday, citing sources, Reuters reported. Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim denied the report, quoting an "informed source" as saying Putin had not sent any message to Iran in this regard.
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Iran Says it Would Resume Nuclear Talks with US if Guaranteed No Further Attacks
Iran's foreign minister said Saturday that his country would accept a resumption of nuclear talks with the US if there were assurances of no more attacks against it, state media reported. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a speech to Tehran-based foreign diplomats that Iran has always been ready and will be ready in the future for talks about its nuclear program, but, 'assurance should be provided that in case of a resumption of talks, the trend will not lead to war.' Referring to the 12-day Israeli bombardment of Iran's nuclear and military sites, and the US strike on June 22, Araghchi said that if the US and others wish to resume talks with Iran, "first of all, there should be a firm guarantee that such actions will not be repeated. The attack on Iran's nuclear facilities has made it more difficult and complicated to achieve a solution based on negotiations.' Following the strikes, Iran suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, which led to the departure of inspectors. Araghchi said that under Iranian law, the country will answer the agency's request for cooperation "case by case,' based on Iran's interests. He also said any inspection by the agency should be done based on Iran's 'security' concerns as well as the safety of the inspectors. 'The risk of proliferation of radioactive ingredients and an explosion of ammunition that remains from the war in the attacked nuclear sites is serious,' he said. "The risk of spreading radioactive materials and the risk of exploding leftover munitions ... are serious," he added. "For us, IAEA inspectors approaching nuclear sites has both a security aspect ... and the safety of the inspectors themselves is a matter that must be examined." He also reiterated Iran's position on the need to continue enriching uranium on its soil. US President Donald Trump has insisted that cannot happen. Israel claims it acted because Tehran was within reach of a nuclear weapon. US intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency had assessed Iran last had an organized nuclear weapons program in 2003, though Tehran had been enriching uranium up to 60% — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in an interview published Monday said the US airstrikes so badly damaged his country's nuclear facilities that Iranian authorities still have not been able to access them to survey the destruction.
Arab News
7 hours ago
- Arab News
UN report sees no active Syrian state links to Al Qaeda
UNITED NATIONS: United Nations sanctions monitors have seen no 'active ties' this year between Al Qaeda and the Islamist group leading Syria's interim government, an unpublished UN report said, a finding that could strengthen an expected US push for removing UN sanctions on Syria. The report, seen by Reuters on Thursday, is likely to be published this month. Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham is Al Qaeda's former branch in Syria but broke ties in 2016. The group, previously known as Al-Nusra Front, led the rebellion that toppled President Bashar Assad in a lightning offensive in December, and HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa became Syria's interim president. The report comes as diplomats expect the United States to seek the removal of UN sanctions on HTS and Sharaa, who has said he wants to build an inclusive Syria with equal rights for all. 'Many tactical-level individuals hold more extreme views than ... Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab, who are generally regarded as more pragmatic than ideological,' the UN report said. It covered the six months to June 22 and relied on contributions and assessments from UN member states. Since May 2014, HTS has been subject to UN sanctions including a global assets freeze and arms embargo. A number of HTS members also face sanctions like a travel ban and asset freeze — including Sharaa, who has been listed since July 2013. The UN monitors wrote in their report to the Security Council: 'Some member states raised concerns that several HTS and aligned members, especially those in tactical roles or integrated into the new Syrian army, remained ideologically tied to Al Qaeda.' US President Donald Trump announced a major US policy shift in May when he said he would lift US sanctions on Syria. He signed an executive order enacting this at the end of June, and Washington revoked its foreign terrorist organization designation of HTS this week. The US said then that revoking the designation was a step toward Trump's vision of a peaceful and unified Syria. The US is 'reviewing our remaining terrorist designations related to HTS and Syria and their placement on the UN sanctions list,' a State Department spokesperson told Reuters. Diplomats, humanitarian organizations and regional analysts have said lifting sanctions would help rebuild Syria's shattered economy, steer the country away from authoritarianism and reduce the appeal of radical groups. Trump and his advisers have argued that doing so would also serve US interests by opening opportunities for American businesses, countering Iranian and Russian influence and potentially limiting the call for US military involvement in the region. OBSTACLES TO US EFFORT But Washington faces diplomatic obstacles to get Security Council backing for removing the sanctions. The US will also need to win support from Russia — which was an ally to Assad — and China for any Syria sanctions relief at the UN, diplomats said. Both are particularly concerned about foreigners who joined HTS during the 13-year war between rebel groups and Assad. The UN experts said there were estimated to be more than 5,000 foreign fighters in Syria. The status of foreign fighters has been one of the most fraught issues hindering Syria's rapprochement with the West. But the US has given its blessing to a plan by Syria's new leaders to integrate foreign fighters into the army. 'China is gravely concerned about such developments. The Syrian interim authorities should earnestly fulfill their counter-terrorism obligations,' China's UN Ambassador Fu Cong told the Security Council last month. He said Syria must combat terrorist organizations including 'the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party.' Uyghur fighters from China and Central Asia are members of the Turkistan Islamic Party. Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses of the mainly Muslim ethnic minority. Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council last month that it was essential Syria's 'army and police are staffed exclusively by professional personnel with untainted track records,' an apparent reference to irregular fighters like militants. The UN monitors said some foreign fighters rejected the move to integrate them into the military. 'Defections occurred among those who see Sharaa as a sell-out, raising the risk of internal conflict and making Sharaa a potential target,' the UN experts said.
