US President Donald Trump's warning to Iran - that it has only 10-15 days left to prevent potential military action - suggests that the situation could escalate when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meets for its next session to decide whether to continue condemning the Islamic Republic, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
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The five-day meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors is scheduled for March 2, which is 10 days away in Vienna. Diplomats are expected to consider a new resolution condemning Iran for its nuclear program and may refer it to the UN Security Council.
This creates a potential situation for a repeat of events in June, when Israel launched strikes within 24 hours of the IAEA Board of Governors' decision to condemn Iran for its lack of cooperation with inspectors. This conclusion was cited by US officials, who then suggested that it served as a legal justification for military intervention, the publication writes.
"This potentially gives the administration the hook it needs to attack Iran in an attempt to influence regime change," said Tariq Rauf, former head of the IAEA's nuclear verification division.
As the US builds up forces in the Middle East "for a potential attack" on Iran, Trump told reporters on Thursday that "we'll either make a deal or it's going to be a failure for them."
The prospect of war between the US and Iran has triggered a surge in oil prices: Brent is trading above $71 a barrel - near six-month highs - and is set to rise 5% for the week, the publication writes.
The dollar is on track for its best week since November, as geopolitical tensions boost its appeal as a safe-haven asset, alongside stronger US economic data.
The latest round of talks on Iran's atomic activities took place on Tuesday in Geneva. The focus is on uranium enrichment, a carefully guarded process of separating uranium isotopes that can be used to fuel nuclear reactors or bombs. Israel and the US have said they want Iran to cease all enrichment activities and dismantle its facilities. Iran insists on maintaining some fuel production capacity for peaceful purposes.
The Iranian government has not offered to suspend enrichment, and the American side has not demanded a complete cessation, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on MS NOW on Friday, adding that both sides are talking about a "quick deal."
Chinese, Russian, and Iranian officials posted a photo on X of a rare joint meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. According to Beijing's representative Li Song, they discussed concerns about the potential use of force against Iran.
"Time is running out, but we are working on something concrete," Grossi told Bloomberg TV on Thursday. IAEA inspectors have not checked the status of Iran's near-weapons-grade uranium stockpiles for more than eight months.
"It's not impossible," Grossi said a day earlier, "referring to the prospect of a deal," the publication writes. "There are certain things that Iran believes are impossible to do. We need to ensure undeniable verification of the absence of any deviations," he said.
Trump considers 'limited military operation' against Iran - WSJ20.02.26, 04:37 • [views_11176]
Meanwhile, as Axios journalist Barak Ravid notes, Iran stated in a letter to the UN Secretary-General: "In the event of an attack, all bases, facilities, and assets of hostile forces in the region will become legitimate targets in the context of Iran's defensive response. The United States will bear full and direct responsibility for any unforeseen and uncontrolled consequences."