Latest news with #SupremeNationalSecurityCouncil
The National
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
UN nuclear watchdog to visit Iran in next two weeks
The UN nuclear watchdog will visit Iran within the next two weeks, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. It will be the first such visit since Tehran passed a parliamentary bill restricting co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA has said it must be allowed to resume inspections after Israeli and US air strikes last month that aimed to destroy Iran's nuclear programme and deny it the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its programme is strictly peaceful. Iran has blamed the IAEA for providing Israel with the pretext to start a war after a report accusing Tehran of hiding enriched uranium. After the 12-day war ended, a bill passed in Iran's parliament restricting Tehran's co-operation with the watchdog. The bill, which has now become law, stipulates that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said a manual regarding future co-operation with the agency will be presented during the visit. The UN nuclear watchdog is particularly concerned about the whereabouts of Iran's stocks of some 400kg of highly enriched uranium. On Sunday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the CBS News show Face The Nation that Western governments were seeking a 'comprehensive agreement' with Iran, in part to avert the 'risk' that it could covertly pursue a nuclear weapon. 'Regarding matters related to our defence capabilities, there will absolutely be no discussion,' Mr Baghaei said in response during his weekly press briefing. Mr Barrot's comments came after a meeting on Friday between Iranian diplomats and counterparts from France, Germany and Britain – the first nuclear talks since the war with Israel. The European countries, also known as the E3, have in recent weeks threatened to trigger a " snapback mechanism" which would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran. Tehran has warned it might withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if sanctions were reimposed. 'One cannot expect a country to remain in the treaty while being deprived of its stated rights, particularly the peaceful use of nuclear energy,' Mr Baghaei said. Israel's attacks on Iran last month hit vital nuclear and military sites but also residential areas, and killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of others. The US briefly joined the war, striking nuclear sites. The war derailed nuclear negotiations that were under way between Washington and Tehran since April 12. In an interview with Iran's state TV aired on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the decision to engage diplomatically towards a ceasefire was 'what prevented the war from spiralling into a wider regional catastrophe'. Mr Araghchi said he had survived an assassination attempt during the war. A bomb had been placed outside his house but security forces 'took control of it', he said. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian previously said he was lightly injured during an Israeli attack.
Reuters
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
IAEA will visit Iran in next two weeks, Iranian foreign ministry says
DUBAI, July 28 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog will make a visit to Iran within the next two weeks, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday, a few days after the watchdog's director said Tehran was ready to restart technical conversations. Baghaei added that a manual regarding the future of Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency will be presented, based on a recent parliamentary bill restricting such cooperation. The bill, which has now become law, stipulates that any future inspection of Iran's nuclear sites by the IAEA needs approval by Tehran's Supreme National Security Council. The IAEA has said it must be allowed to resume inspections after Israeli and U.S. airstrikes last month that aimed to destroy Iran's nuclear programme and deny it the capacity to build a nuclear weapon. Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its programme is strictly peaceful. The UN nuclear watchdog is particularly concerned about the whereabouts of Iran's stocks of some 400 kg of highly enriched uranium. Baghaei reiterated Iran's position that it would resume indirect talks with the United States if its national interest required it, but said there currently were no plans to hold a sixth round of nuclear negotiations with Washington. Iran and the U.S. held five rounds of talks mediated by Oman, which were suspended as a result of last month's 12-day war between Iran and Israel. The talks were characterised by major points of contention, such as Washington's request that Tehran stop its domestic uranium enrichment. Baghaei said on Monday that as a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran should be allowed to enrich uranium.
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Iran ready for war with Israel: Pezeshkian
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country is prepared for any war Israel might wage against it, adding he was not optimistic about the ceasefire between the countries, while confirming Tehran is committed to continuing its nuclear programme for peaceful purposes. Pezeshkian made the comments in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera aired on Wednesday, one of his first since the end of the 12-day conflict with Israel last month, in which the United States intervened on Israel's behalf, launching strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The comments come as Western nations say they are seeking a solution to Iran's ongoing nuclear ambitions in the wake of the conflict, amid reports that strikes on its nuclear facilities were less damaging than claimed by Washington. 'We are fully prepared for any new Israeli military move, and our armed forces are ready to strike deep inside Israel again,' Pezeshkian told Al Jazeera. Iran was not relying on the ceasefire that ended the 12-day war to hold, he said. 'We are not very optimistic about it,' said Pezeshkian. '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. It has dealt us powerful blows, and we have struck it hard in its depths, but it is concealing its losses.' He added that Israel's strikes, which assassinated leading military figures and nuclear scientists, and damaged nuclear facilities, had sought to 'eliminate' Iran's hierarchy, 'but it has completely failed to do so'. More than 900 people were killed in Iran, large numbers of them civilians, and at least 28 people were killed in Israel before a ceasefire took hold on June 24. Pezeshkian said Iran would continue its uranium enrichment programme despite international opposition, saying the development of its nuclear abilities would be carried out 'within the framework of international laws'. '[US President Donald] 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,' he said. '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 the claim from Trump 'that our nuclear programme is over is just an illusion'. 'Our nuclear capabilities are in the minds of our scientists and not in the facilities,' he said. Pezeshkian's comments echoed earlier remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said in an interview with US broadcaster Fox News aired Monday that Tehran would never abandon its uranium enrichment programme, but was open to a negotiated solution to its nuclear ambitions, in which it would guarantee that the programme was for peaceful purposes in response for the lifting of sanctions. Pezeshkian also addressed an attempt by Israel to assassinate him at a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council in Tehran on June 15, which was reported to have left him with minor injuries. Asked about the assassination attempt, he said it had been part of a plan by Israeli commanders to target Iran's political leadership in the wake of its assassination of senior military figures, in a bid 'to put the country into chaos in order to overthrow it completely'. But the plan had failed, he said. Araghchi said on Monday that Iran's Atomic Energy Organization is still evaluating how the attacks last month had affected Iran's enriched material, saying Tehran would soon inform the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its findings. He said Iran had not stopped cooperation with the IAEA, adding that any request for the IAEA to send inspectors back to Iran would be 'carefully considered'. IAEA inspectors left Iran earlier this month after Pezeshkian signed a law suspending cooperation with the agency. (Source: Al Jazeera)
L'Orient-Le Jour
6 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israel weighs resuming campaign against Iran, Tehran says it's ready to retaliate
BEIRUT — Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday evening that Israel could consider resuming its military campaign against Iran, according to Israeli media reports. He made the remarks during a security assessment meeting with senior officials from the army's intelligence services. Katz underscored the importance of maintaining Israel's air superiority, achieved during Operation "Rising Lion," and urged the development of a clear plan to prevent Iran from restoring its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the Jerusalem Post reported. On regional security, Katz said two fronts remain active — Gaza and Yemen — and stressed that both must be addressed in line with what he described as Israel's "successful" offensive strategy against threats from Iran, Lebanon and Syria. He also highlighted the ongoing deployment of Israeli forces at strategic checkpoints and sensitive locations in Syria and Lebanon, calling the military occupation of those areas "essential for the protection of Israeli communities." The defense minister concluded by urging the army to prepare for potential security threats in the coming period. 'We are preparing for all scenarios' In response, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian said that his country was 'fully prepared for any new Israeli military offensive,' in an interview with Al Jazeera. 'Our armed forces are ready to retaliate and strike deep inside Israel,' he said, adding that Tehran does not trust the current cease-fire and is preparing for 'all possible scenarios.' Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying — and failing — to destabilize and dismantle Iran, saying both sides have inflicted heavy blows, though Israel 'conceals its losses.' The war between Israel and Iran killed at least 1,060 people in Iran, according to authorities. On the Israeli side, the official death toll stands at 28. The Iranian president was slightly injured during an Israeli bombing that targeted a building in Tehran where the Supreme National Security Council was meeting. The strike came three days after the outbreak of a 12-Day War between the two countries, triggered by an Israeli airstrike on June 13 that targeted military and nuclear facilities as well as senior figures in the Iranian regime. A cease-fire, brokered under U.S. pressure, has held since June 24 after the U.S. military launched a series of unprecedented airstrikes on several Iranian nuclear sites.
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First Post
18-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Iran's president got injured during Israeli strikes, confirm US intelligence sources
Last week, Iranian state media claimed that President Pezeshkian was attending a Supreme National Security Council meeting when an Israeli strike hit the gathering, injuring him in the leg as he escaped through an emergency shaft read more Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was hurt during last month's Israeli missile strikes, US intelligence officials have said. Last week, Iranian state media claimed that President Pezeshkian was attending a Supreme National Security Council meeting when an Israeli strike hit the gathering, injuring him in the leg as he escaped through an emergency shaft. Two US intelligence officials have told CBS News that the Iranian state media reports are accurate. It is, however, not clear whether Israel targeted Pezeshkian deliberately or not. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, in an interview with Tucker Carlson earlier this month, the Iranian president claimed that Israel tried to assassinate him by bombarding an area where he was holding a meeting. 'It was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life. It was Israel. I was in a meeting. We were discussing the ways to move forward. But thanks to the intelligence by the spies that they had, they tried to bombard the area…in which we were holding that meeting,' Pezeshkian said. Videos shared on social media during the 12-day war captured repeated strikes on a mountainside in north-western Tehran. It has now been revealed that, on the fourth day of the conflict, those strikes targeted a secret underground facility in Tehran that was housing Iran's top leaders at the time. While Israel has neither denied nor confirmed the strikes on the national security council meeting, the country has said that it did try to target Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, during the conflict. Earlier this month, Iran said it has not made any request for talks with the United States, after President Donald Trump said Tehran was seeking negotiations following last month's war with Israel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'No request for a meeting has been made on our side to the American side,' said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, according to Tasnim news agency. With inputs from agencies
