Latest news with #EsmailBaghaei
United News of India
a day ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Iran slams Europe's threats to renew UN sanctions over its nuclear programme
Tehran, July 28 (UNI) Iran has slammed Europe's threats at reimposing UN sanctions on Tehran if the tries to pursue its nuclear programme following the recent negotiations in Istanbul, with the Iranian Foreign Ministry stating that Brussels and London lack the legitimacy to go through with such an action. According to Iran International, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei while addressing the media said 'We have clearly said, and we stress, that the European parties do not have the legitimacy or the authority to invoke the so-called snapback mechanism.' During the first round of negotiations in Türkiye, leaders from the UK, Germany, and France – collectively called the E3 – met at the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul and discussed the nuclear program in its first round of negotiations with foreign parties, following Iran's 12-day war Israel and the bombing of its key nuclear facilities by the US. Iran conveyed its opposition directly to its European counterparts to any snapback effort, according to Baghaei. 'Such a right does not exist for them, and we fundamentally reject the move,' he added. Under the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the snapback clause allows for the reimposition of UN sanctions if a participant claims significant non-compliance. Baghaei also dismissed European narratives of the recent negotiations. 'The European side has presented its own version of events, but this account does not align with the facts and differs from the viewpoint of the Islamic Republic of Iran,' he said. France has further threatened Iran, and said it will call for a sweeping global embargo on Iran, unless it doesn't reach a deal by the end of August covering not jut its nuclear program, but also its missile program and regional activities. Baghaei stated that Iran's nuclear negotiations with European powers remain narrowly confined to sanctions relief and atomic issues, rejecting the statements on any other matters or broader deals being put to table. 'These talks have a clear and limited focus: the lifting of sanctions and matters related to the nuclear program,' Baghaei said. 'Any attempt by some Western states to introduce unrelated issues only reflects their confusion and lack of coherence.' \\\\ The Foreign Ministry official said that Iran's defence issues are non-negotiable and can't put to table. 'Especially under current conditions, Iran is more determined than ever to maintain and enhance its deterrent capability.' Tehran has further ruled out any talks with Washington currently, stating that there are no negotiations are planned for the recent future as well, with Foreign Ministry adding that the Islamic Republic will take whatever action it deems appropriate, as demanded by its national demands. UNI ANV SSP
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
European and Iranian diplomats meet in Istanbul as return of sanctions looms over nuclear deadlock
ISTANBUL (AP) — Talks between Iranian and European diplomats in Istanbul ended Friday with the sides agreeing to meet again to seek to unpick the deadlock over Tehran's nuclear program. Representatives from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3 nations, gathered at the Iranian Consulate building for the first talks since Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June, which involved U.S. bombers striking nuclear-related facilities. The talks, which ended after four hours, centered on the possibility of reimposing sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015 in exchange for Iran accepting restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program. Iranian negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, said that the 'serious, frank and detailed' meeting focused on the nuclear issue and the status of sanctions while agreeing to further discussions. Snapback mechanism The E3 nations had earlier warned that sanctions could return under a process known as the 'snapback' mechanism, which allows one of the Western parties to reimpose U.N. sanctions if Tehran doesn't comply with its requirements. 'Both sides came to the meeting with specific ideas,' Gharibabadi said in a social media post. 'It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue.' As the talks were ongoing, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, said that he hoped that the meeting would see the E3 nations reassess their 'previous unconstructive attitude.' European leaders have said sanctions will resume by the end of August, if there is no progress on containing Iran's nuclear program. The snapback mechanism 'remains on the table," a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, 'A possible delay in triggering snapback has been floated to the Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, that they resume full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and that they address concerns about their highly-enriched uranium stockpile,' the diplomat said prior to Friday's negotiations. Rebuilding trust Tehran, meanwhile, has said that Washington, which withdrew from the 2015 deal during the first term of U.S. President Donald Trump, needs to rebuild faith in its role in negotiations. Gharibabadi previously said that Iran's engagement was dependent on 'several key principles' that included 'rebuilding Iran's trust — as Iran has absolutely no trust in the United States.' In a social media post on Thursday, he also said that the talks shouldn't be used 'as a platform for hidden agendas such as military action.' Gharibabadi insisted that Iran's right to enrich uranium 'in line with its legitimate needs' be respected, and sanctions removed. Iran has repeatedly threatened to leave the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which commits it to refrain from developing nuclear weapons, if sanctions return. Europe's role Friday's talks were held at the deputy ministerial level, with Iran sending Gharibabadi and a fellow deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-e Ravanchi. A similar meeting was held in Istanbul in May. The identity of the E3 representatives weren't immediately clear, but the European Union's deputy foreign policy commissioner was thought to be attending. The U.K., France and Germany were signatories to the 2015 deal, alongside the U.S., Russia and China. When Washington withdrew in 2018, Trump insisted the agreement wasn't tough enough. Under the original deal, neither Russia nor China can veto reimposed sanctions. Since the Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, which saw American B-52 bombers hit three nuclear sites, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the E3 of hypocrisy, saying that they failed to uphold their obligations while supporting Israel's attacks. Uncertainty ahead Against the backdrop of the conflict, in which Iran responded with missile attacks on Israel and a strike on a U.S. base in Qatar, the road ahead remains uncertain. While European officials have said they want to avoid further conflict and are open to a negotiated solution, they have warned that time is running out. Tehran maintains that it's open to diplomacy, though it recently suspended cooperation with the IAEA. A central concern for Western powers was highlighted when the IAEA reported in May that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% — just below weapons-grade level — had grown to more than 400 kilograms (nearly 900 pounds). In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran is prepared for another war and reiterated that its nuclear program will continue within the framework of international law, while adding that the country had no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons. A spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said Thursday that the country's nuclear industry would 'grow back and thrive again' after the recent attacks by Israel and the U.S. ___ Stephanie Liechtenstein reported from Vienna. Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat contributed to this report from Tehran, Iran. ___ The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Outrider Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Additional AP coverage of the nuclear landscape: Andrew Wilks And Stephanie Liechtenstein, The Associated Press Sign in to access your portfolio
United News of India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Iran, China, Russia, to hold trilateral meet to discuss Tehran's nuclear programme
Tehran/Beijing/Moscow, July 22 (UNI) Iran, China and Russia are set to hold a trilateral meeting in Tehran today to discuss the country's nuclear programme, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei announced yesterday. While the Iranian Foreign Ministry has not named the participants, the trilateral discussion in Tehran is expected to take place below the ministerial level, reports Russian state media TASS. The trilateral meet come ahead of a meeting in Istanbul between Iran and France, Germany and the United Kingdom, or the E3 nations, on July 25. The E3 nations, China and Russia are the remaining nations involved in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program. On June 13, Israel launched a military operation against Iran after accusing it of secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program, after detecting signs of highly enriched uranium, way above what was needed for civil use. The IDF strikes targeted nuclear facilities, military leadership as well as air bases and killed several members of Tehran's top brass, including the military commanders of the Iranian Army and the IRGC, and key nuclear scientists. Iran rejected the allegations and retaliated, launching drones into Israeli airspace. The United States conducted a one-time attack on three of Iran's nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo, on June 22. Tehran struck the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in response but said it had "no intention of further escalation." Both Tehran and Jerusalem are currently holding an uneasy and fragile ceasefire, with both countries keeping their militaries battle ready and weapon systems operational. Adding further urgency, the Tehran meeting precedes renewed nuclear talks with France, Germany, and the UK scheduled for July 25 in Istanbul.
Toronto Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Iran to hold nuclear talks with European nations in Turkey after Israel ceasefire
Published Jul 21, 2025 • 4 minute read This handout satellite picture provided by Maxar Technologies and taken on June 24, 2025, shows an overview of Isfahan nuclear enrichment facility and nearby tunnels in central Iran. Photo by - / Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Tec TEHRAN — Iran said Monday it would hold renewed talks this week with European nations over the country's nuclear program, with discussions to be hosted by Turkey. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The talks, to be held in Istanbul on Friday, will be the first since a ceasefire was reached after a 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June, which also saw the United States strike nuclear-related facilities in the Islamic Republic. A similar meeting had been held in the Turkish city in May. The discussions will bring Iranian officials together with officials from Britain, France and Germany — known as the E3 nations — and will include the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. 'The topic of the talks is clear, lifting sanctions and issues related to the peaceful nuclear program of Iran,' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly briefing. He said the meeting will be held at the deputy ministerial level. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Under a 2015 deal designed to cap Iran's nuclear activities, Iran agreed to tough restrictions on its international program in exchange for an easing of sanctions. The deal began to unravel in 2018, when the United States pulled out of it and began to reimpose certain sanctions. European countries have recently threatened to trigger the 2015 deal's 'snapback' mechanism, which would allow sanctions to be reimposed in the case of noncompliance by Tehran. German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese, asked who Germany will send to the talks and what its expectations are, said that 'the talks are taking place at expert level. 'Iran must never come into possession of a nuclear weapon,' so Germany, France and Britain are 'continuing to work … at high pressure on a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear program,' Giese told reporters in Berlin. 'This course of action is also co-ordinated with the U.S.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's very clear that, should no solution be reached by the end of August … snapback remains an option for the E3.' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday the three European nations lack 'any legal, political, and moral standing' to invoke such mechanisms, and accused Britain, France and Germany of failing to uphold their commitments in the deal. 'Attempting to trigger 'snapback' under these circumstances, in defiance of established facts and prior communications, constitutes an abuse of process that the international community must reject,' Araghchi said. He also criticized the three European nations for 'providing political and material support to the recent unprovoked and illegal military aggression of the Israeli regime and the U.S.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The U.S. bombed three major Iranian nuclear sites in Iran in June as Israel waged an air war with Iran. Nearly 1,100 people were killed in Iran, including many military commanders and nuclear scientists, while 28 were killed in Israel. Araghchi stressed in the letter that his country is ready for diplomatic solutions. After U.S. President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 deal, Iran has gradually increased its nuclear activities, including enriching uranium up to 60%, a step away from weapons-grade nuclear materials, or 90% enrichment of uranium. Iran denies allegations it is seeking a nuclear weapon and has long said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. The report every six months to the UN Security Council on implementation of its 2015 resolution endorsing the nuclear deal, circulated Monday, quoted a June 9 letter from the E3 welcoming negotiations between Iran and the United States. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The U.K., Britain and Germany said they would pursue all diplomatic options 'to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.' But without 'a satisfying deal,' they would consider triggering snapback 'to address threats to international peace and security arising from Iran's nuclear program.' Iran's UN ambassador responded on June 11 categorically rejecting the E3's allegations and its threat to trigger snapback, saying the Islamic republic had seriously engaged with the Europeans and the United States and 'remains committed to finding a negotiated solution that addresses concerns, both pertaining to the nuclear matters and the sanctions.' The exchanges were in a letter to the council from Slovenia's UN Ambassador Samuel Zbogar who overseas matters dealing with the resolution. It quoted the International Atomic Energy Agency as estimating that as of May 17, Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% at 408.6 kg, an increase of 133.8 kg from its February report. That was not long before the Israeli and U.S. bombings of Iranian nuclear sites. — Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Read More Celebrity Canada Columnists Canada Toronto & GTA
CTV News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Iran will hold nuclear talks with European nations in Turkiye, the first since ceasefire with Israel
The Iranian flag is arranged for a photograph in New York, U.S. Photographer: Bloomberg/Bloomberg TEHRAN, Iran — Iran said Monday it would hold renewed talks this week with European nations over the country's nuclear program, with discussions to be hosted by Turkiye. The talks, to be held in Istanbul on Friday, will be the first since a ceasefire was reached after a 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June, which also saw the United States strike nuclear-related facilities in the Islamic Republic. A similar meeting had been held in the Turkish city in May. The discussions will bring Iranian officials together with officials from Britain, France and Germany — known as the E3 nations — and will include the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. 'The topic of the talks is clear, lifting sanctions and issues related to the peaceful nuclear program of Iran,' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly briefing. He said the meeting will be held at the deputy ministerial level. Under a 2015 deal designed to cap Iran's nuclear activities, Iran agreed to tough restrictions on its international program in exchange for an easing of sanctions. The deal began to unravel in 2018, when the United States pulled out of it and began to reimpose certain sanctions. European countries have recently threatened to trigger the 2015 deal's 'snapback' mechanism, which would allow sanctions to be reimposed in the case of noncompliance by Tehran. German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Martin Giese, asked who Germany will send to the talks and what its expectations are, said that 'the talks are taking place at expert level.' 'Iran must never come into possession of a nuclear weapon,' so Germany, France and Britain are 'continuing to work … at high pressure on a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear program,' he said. 'This course of action is also coordinated with the U.S.' 'It's very clear that, should no solution be reached by the end of August … snapback remains an option for the E3,' Giese told reporters in Berlin. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday the three European nations lack 'any legal, political, and moral standing' to invoke such mechanisms, and accused Britain, France and Germany of failing to uphold their commitments in the deal. 'Attempting to trigger 'snapback' under these circumstances, in defiance of established facts and prior communications, constitutes an abuse of process that the international community must reject,' Araghchi said. He also criticized the three European nations for 'providing political and material support to the recent unprovoked and illegal military aggression of the Israeli regime and the US.' The U.S. bombed three major Iranian nuclear sites in Iran in June as Israel waged an air war with Iran. Nearly 1,100 people were killed in Iran, including many military commanders and nuclear scientists, while 28 were killed in Israel. Araghchi stressed in the letter that his country is ready for diplomatic solutions. After U.S. President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the 2015 deal, Iran has gradually increased its nuclear activities, including enriching uranium up to 60 per cent, a step away from weapons-grade nuclear materials, or 90 per cent enrichment of uranium. Iran denies allegations it is seeking a nuclear weapon and has long said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. The report every six months to the UN Security Council on implementation of its 2015 resolution endorsing the nuclear deal, circulated Monday, quoted a June 9 letter from the E3 welcoming negotiations between Iran and the United States. The U.K., Britain and Germany said they would pursue all diplomatic options 'to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.' But without 'a satisfying deal,' they would consider triggering snapback 'to address threats to international peace and security arising from Iran's nuclear program.' Iran's UN ambassador responded on June 11 categorically rejecting the E3's allegations and its threat to trigger snapback, saying the Islamic State group had seriously engaged with the Europeans and the United States and 'remains committed to finding a negotiated solution that addresses concerns, both pertaining to the nuclear matters and the sanctions.' The exchanges were in a letter to the council from Slovenia's UN Ambassador Samuel Zbogar who overseas matters dealing with the resolution. It quoted the International Atomic Energy Agency as estimating that as of May 17, Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent at 408.6 kilograms, an increase of 133.8 kilograms from its February report. That was not long before the Israeli and U.S. bombings of Iranian nuclear sites. Nasser Karimi, The Associated Press Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
