The latest attempt at negotiations between Europeans and Iranians on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly failed to produce a breakthrough just days before a deadline aimed at avoiding the imposition of sanctions against Iran. This was reported by Politico, writes UNN.
Details
The foreign ministers of France, Great Britain, and Germany, as well as EU chief diplomat Kaya Kallas, met on Tuesday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi to discuss ongoing concerns about Iran's nuclear program.
London, Paris, and Berlin stated on August 28 that Iran was not complying with the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal, thereby opening a 30-day window for the country to change its course.
The chances of reaching a diplomatic solution before sanctions take effect are minimal. Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.
However, according to a French diplomat, no signs of compromise emerged after the talks.
"Iran has not met the conditions, but negotiations will continue to explore all possibilities until the end," said a French official, who, like others, commented on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
The same diplomat noted that the ball is now "in Iran's court" before Saturday's deadline, when the "snapback" mechanism (automatic restoration of sanctions) will be triggered.
According to the German Foreign Ministry, the Europeans urged Iran to "take practical steps in the coming days, if not hours," to address concerns about its nuclear program.
Great Britain, France, and Germany triggered the countdown mechanism through the "sunset clause," which provided for the expiration of the snapback procedure.
However, on September 19, Iran announced that it was suspending cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.
Addition
Earlier, Iran claimed to have reached an agreement on the return of inspectors after it suspended cooperation in response to an unexpected attack by Israel and subsequent bombing of nuclear facilities by the US in June.
UN sanctions in place before the 2015 agreement include an arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile development, asset freezes, travel bans, and a ban on the production of nuclear-related technologies.
According to a European diplomat, Iran can still avoid sanctions after Saturday's deadline if it agrees to a number of conditions put forward by the Europeans.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that he would meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian the next day to discuss Iran's nuclear program.
Recall
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that the country would not succumb to pressure regarding uranium enrichment, emphasizing that Tehran does not need nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump had previously offered cooperation in exchange for suspending Iran's nuclear program.