Iran demands guarantees before returning to nuclear negotiating table
'We will not enter into such a process until we are sure of the effectiveness of diplomacy and the negotiation process,' Esmaeil Baqaei stressed, adding that diplomacy should not be stigmatised but should be used as 'a tool and an opportunity.'
Addressing a weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, he emphasised that no one has the right to deprive Iran of this tool to explain its point of view, defend its interests.
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Baqaei has once again warned the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal against using the so-called snapback mechanism that would re-impose UN sanctions on Iran if activated.
Baqaei said that resorting to a mechanism, which was included in the UN Security Council's Resolution 2231 endorsing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for specific reasons, lacks any legal, political, or moral basis.
Baqaei touched on the approach of China and Russia, saying the two friendly nations have always been ready to help resolve the Iranian nuclear issue.
He denied any specific proposal or a package from Moscow and Beijing but said that they remain in contact such as during the BRICS Summit or as Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has travelled to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Ministerial Meeting, which will be a good opportunity to continue consultations.
WAM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
11 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Iran ready for war with Israel, will continue nuclear programme, says President Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran is ready for any war that Israel may wage against it, Al Jazeera reported. 'We are fully prepared for any new Israeli military move, and our armed forces are ready to strike deep inside Israel again,' the Iranian leader said. Pezeshkian also said that Iran is not optimistic about the ceasefire. "That is why we have prepared ourselves for any possible scenario and any potential response. Israel has harmed us, and we have also harmed it,' he added. He rejected US President Donald Trump's claim that the Iran's nuclear programme was over and said that the country's nuclear capabilities are in the minds of its scientists and not in the facilities. 'Trump says that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon and we accept this because we reject nuclear weapons and this is our political, religious, humanitarian and strategic position. We believe in diplomacy, so any future negotiations must be according to a win-win logic, and we will not accept threats and dictates,' he said. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian (C) watches a military parade during a ceremony marking the country's annual Army Day in Tehran on 18 April 2025 (Atta Kenare / AFP)
Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
India to resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens from July 24
India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens from July 24 this year, its embassy in China said on Wednesday, the first time in five years as both countries move to repair their rocky relationship. Tensions between the two countries escalated following a 2020 military clash along their disputed Himalayan border. In response, India imposed restrictions on Chinese investments, banned hundreds of popular Chinese apps and cut passenger routes. China suspended visas to Indian citizens and other foreigners around the same time due to the COVID-19 pandemic but lifted those restrictions in 2022, when it resumed issuing visas for students and business travellers. Tourist visas for Indian nationals remained restricted until March this year, when both countries agreed to resume direct air service. Relations have gradually improved, with several high-level meetings taking place last year, including talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia in October. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that Beijing had noted the positive move. "China is ready to maintain communication and consultation with India and constantly improve the level of personal exchanges between the two countries," he said. India and China share a 3,800 km (2,400-mile) border that has been disputed since the 1950s. The two countries fought a brief but brutal border war in 1962 and negotiations to settle the dispute have made slow progress. In July, India's foreign minister told his Chinese counterpart that both countries must resolve border friction, pull back troops and avoid "restrictive trade measures" to normalise their relationship.
Dubai Eye
19 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
US to leave UN cultural agency UNESCO again, diplomats say
The United States will leave the United Nations' culture and education agency UNESCO as President Donald Trump continues to pull his country out of international institutions he has long criticized, two European diplomats said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The move is a blow to the Paris-based agency, founded after World War Two to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture. The New York Post also reported on the U.S. withdrawal, citing a White House official. Trump took similar steps during his first term, quitting the World Health Organization, the U.N. Human Rights Council, a global climate change accord and the Iran nuclear deal. Joe Biden reversed those decisions after taking office in 2021, returning the U.S. to UNESCO, the WHO and the climate agreement. With Trump now back in the White House, the U.S. is once again pulling out of these global bodies. He has already decided to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO and halt funding to the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA as part of a review of the U.S.' participation in UN agencies, due to be concluded in August. UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites, including the Grand Canyon in the United States and the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria. The United States initially joined UNESCO at its founding in 1945 but withdrew for the first time in 1984 in protest against alleged financial mismanagement and perceived anti-U.S. bias, returning almost 20 years later in 2003 under President George W. Bush, who then said the agency had undertaken needed reforms. UNESCO's full name is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The United States provides about 8 per cent of UNESCO's total budget, down from about 20% at the time Trump first pulled the United States out of the agency.
