logo
Iran enacts law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog

Iran enacts law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog

Dubai Eye4 days ago
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian put into effect on Wednesday a law passed by parliament last week to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, Iranian state media reported.
Iran has threatened to halt cooperation with the IAEA, accusing it of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel's air strikes, which began a day after the IAEA board voted to declare Iran in violation of obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The law stipulates that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council.
"We are aware of these reports. The IAEA is awaiting further official information from Iran," the IAEA said in a statement.
Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in an interview with CBS News that the US bombing of Iran's key Fordow nuclear site has "seriously and heavily damaged" the facility.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

BRICS nations to denounce Trump tariffs
BRICS nations to denounce Trump tariffs

Sharjah 24

time14 hours ago

  • Sharjah 24

BRICS nations to denounce Trump tariffs

Emerging nations representing about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output are set to unite over what they see as unfair US import tariffs, according to sources familiar with summit negotiations. Since coming to office in January, Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive tariffs. His latest salvo comes in the form of letters due to be sent starting Friday informing trading partners of new tariff rates expected next week on July 9. Diplomats from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, have been busy drafting a statement condemning the economic uncertainty. Any final summit declaration is not expected to mention the United States or its president by name. But it is expected to be a clear political shot directed at Washington. "We're anticipating a summit with a cautious tone: it will be difficult to mention the United States by name in the final declaration," Marta Fernandez, director of the BRICS Policy Center at Rio's Pontifical Catholic University said. This is particularly the case for China, which has only recently negotiated with the US to lower steep tit-for-tat levies. "This doesn't seem to be the right time to provoke further friction" between the world's two leading economies, Fernandez said. Xi no show Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to Western power. But the summit's political punch will be depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who is skipping the annual meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. "I expect there will be speculation about the reasons for Xi's absence," said Ryan Hass, a former China director at the US National Security Council who is now with the Brookings Institution think tank. "The simplest explanation may hold the most explanatory power. Xi recently hosted Lula in Beijing," said Hass. The Chinese leader will not be the only notable absentee. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also opting to stay away, but will participate via video link, according to the Kremlin. Hass said Putin's non-attendance and the fact that India's prime minister will be a guest of honor in Brazil could also be factors in Xi's absence. "Xi does not want to appear upstaged by Modi," who will receive a state lunch, he said. "I expect Xi's decision to delegate attendance to Premier Li (Qiang) rests amidst these factors." Still, the Xi no-show is a blow to host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who wants Brazil to play a bigger role on the world stage. In the year to November 2025, Brazil will have hosted a G20 summit, a BRICS summit, and COP30 international climate talks, all before heading into fiercely contested presidential elections next year, in which he is expected to run. Middle path Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose nation is still reeling from a 12-day conflict with Israel is also skipping the meeting. A source familiar with the negotiations said the BRICS countries were still in disagreement over how to respond to the wars in Gaza and between Iran and Israel. Iranian negotiators are pushing for a tougher collective stance that goes beyond referencing the need for the creation of a Palestinian state and for disputes to be resolved peacefully. Artificial intelligence and health will also be on the agenda at the summit. Original members of the bloc Brazil, Russia, India, and China have been joined by South Africa and, more recently, by Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia. Analysts say that it has given the grouping more potential international punch. But it has also opened many new fault lines. Brazil hopes that countries can take a common stand at the summit, including on the most sensitive issues. "BRICS (countries), throughout their history, have managed to speak with one voice on major international issues, and there's no reason why that shouldn't be the case this time on the subject of the Middle East," Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira told AFP.

Leaders Pivot as Iran's Pezeshkian Opts Out of Brazil Summit
Leaders Pivot as Iran's Pezeshkian Opts Out of Brazil Summit

Arabian Post

time17 hours ago

  • Arabian Post

Leaders Pivot as Iran's Pezeshkian Opts Out of Brazil Summit

Heads of government gathered in Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS summit on 6–7 July 2025, yet Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian will not attend in person, opting to join virtually amid escalating regional tensions. This marks a notable shift in IRGC diplomatic strategy and signals Tehran's cautious engagement with the global bloc. Brazilian host Lula da Silva extended formal invitations to all member nations, including Iran. While China's Premier Li Qiang and Russia's Vladimir Putin will participate via video link, Pezeshkian will also engage remotely—an unexpected decision given Iran's elevated status within BRICS. Iran officially joined BRICS+ in 2024, alongside Egypt, UAE and Ethiopia, with Indonesia joining in early 2025. Analysts link Pezeshkian's decision to a confluence of geopolitical pressures. Tensions remain high following a twelve-day military exchange with Israel and mounting US threats targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Participation in Brazil from Tehran's leadership could be perceived domestically as a distraction from domestic security concerns, or internationally as signalling alignment in a bloc increasingly at odds with Western powers. ADVERTISEMENT Washington's mounting pressure complicates matters further. US officials stressed ongoing sanctions and warned of potential action if Iran expands its nuclear ambitions, placing Pezeshkian in a delicate balancing act ahead of the summit. Iran's decision to interrupt high‑level travel is also informed by recent intelligence assessments of US and Israeli strikes, which revealed substantial but not crippling damage to Iran's nuclear sites. Rio's summit theme, 'Inclusive and Sustainable Global South,' underscores Brazil's ambition to recast BRICS as an engine for financial innovation, de-dollarisation and climate diplomacy. Lula emphasised the urgency of crafting an alternative to the US dollar to reduce trade exposure to Western economic policies. Pezeshkian, a relative moderate successor to Ebrahim Raisi, has repeatedly portrayed BRICS as a critical platform to challenge global financial hegemony. In October 2024, he touted the group's potential to 'eclipse the US‑dominated unipolar world' and urged fellow members to leverage their influence to end conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. His foreign policy, shaped by visits to Iraq and attendance at the UN General Assembly, signals subtle reorientation. Tehran emphasises diplomacy over confrontation, while remaining tethered to the supreme authority of Ali Khamenei and Iran's military apparatus. Pezeshkian's remote participation means his input on BRICS' key agenda items—financial cooperation, energy markets, infrastructure investment, technological transfer—will be mediated through lower‑level delegates. On the one hand, this preserves Iran's influence without invoking domestic scrutiny; on the other, it may reduce Tehran's leverage in negotiations on currency diversification, cross‑bloc credit systems and tech partnerships. Geo‑strategic calculations also loom large. Analysed by Ryan Hass, a former US National Security Council China director, the picture of Xi Jinping and Putin opting for remote attendance adds interpretive layers. Xi may have aimed to avoid being eclipsed by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the guest of honour, while Russia navigates legal hurdles tied to Putin's international warrant. For Iran, BRICS is a tool amid Western containment. Virtual presence ensures engagement while mitigating diplomatic risk. Pezeshkian's absence underscores Tehran's calculations—balancing international ambition with vulnerability to external pressures. Member nations will be watching closely. With a fragile consensus on de-dollarisation and climate finance, Iran's contributions could pivot key decisions. Even from afar, Pezeshkian faces the challenge of projecting leadership through digital channels, in a summit shaped as much by optics as by policy.

UK resets ties with Syria as foreign minister visits Damascus
UK resets ties with Syria as foreign minister visits Damascus

Al Etihad

time19 hours ago

  • Al Etihad

UK resets ties with Syria as foreign minister visits Damascus

5 July 2025 20:29 LONDON (REUTERS)Britain said on Saturday it was reestablishing diplomatic relations with Syria after the country's years-long civil war, as foreign minister David Lammy visited its capital Damascus, pledging 94.5 million pounds ($129 million) in support."There is renewed hope for the Syrian people," Lammy said in a statement. "It is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians."Western nations have been resetting their approach to Syria since Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president in December following more than 13 years of visit, the first by a British minister in 14 years, comes days after United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order terminating a US sanctions program on Syria, ending its isolation from the international financial system and helping it rebuild after the also eased its sanctions in April, unfreezing the assets of Syria's central bank and 23 other entities, including banks and oil companies to encourage investments, though it kept in place those targeting members of the former financial support package announced on Saturday will provide urgent humanitarian aid to Syria and support the country's longer-term recovery through developing areas such as education, the government statement said.A stable Syria will reduce the risk of "irregular migration", ensure chemical weapons are destroyed, and tackle the threat of terrorism, Lammy said, after he met with his Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan al-Shibani and President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Lammy is also due to travel to Kuwait, where regional security and strengthening bilateral relations will be top of the agenda.

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