Iran has been accused of making “maximalist demands” in the latest round of unsuccessful talks on reactivating the nuclear non-proliferation agreement at a serious UN Security Council session in which it was widely acknowledged. that the talks – and the entire 2015 deal – were on the verge of collapse.
Iranian and US officials, with the EU acting as mediator, held two days of talks in Doha to try to break a deadlock for months, but no progress was made on Iran’s central demand that the the Islamic Revolutionary Guard was withdrawn from U.S. sanctions. and its list of foreign terrorist organizations.
“Iran has not only not accepted the offer on the table, but has also added more issues that remain outside the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] with maximalist and unrealistic demands, “French Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Rivière said on Thursday.
Broader talks have stalled since March, but recent restrictions on UN arms inspectors, as well as Iran’s accelerating uranium enrichment, have injected urgency. sudden crisis. Western leaders will have to take decisive action, such as re-imposing UN sanctions in a few weeks if the nuclear inspection continues without being able to carry out its control functions.
During the special session of the UN Security Council, Barbara Woodward, the UK envoy, warned Iran that no better deal would be offered.
Olof Skoog, the EU’s ambassador to the UN, said: “I am worried that we will not reach the goal. My message is: take this opportunity to conclude the agreement, based on the text on the table. It is time to overcome the last outstanding issues, conclude the agreement and completely restore the [agreement] it is now. “
The context of the impasse: the enrichment and activity of Iran’s growing ballistic missiles is also of concern to European leaders.
Woodward warned: “Iran’s nuclear program has never been more advanced than it is today and Iran’s nuclear escalation is a threat to international peace and security.”
“At the current enrichment rate, by the end of this year, Iran is likely to have enough enriched material to rapidly produce highly enriched uranium with 90% enrichment for various nuclear devices,” he said. “Iran also continues to develop ballistic missiles in a manner inconsistent with UN resolutions.”
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In a joint statement, Germany, France and the United Kingdom stated that Iran was testing ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches with this ballistic missile technology. The statement said: “Just a few days ago, Iran conducted another test of a space launch vehicle, which contains dual-use technology that can be used to build intercontinental and long-range ballistic missiles.”
Iranian Ambassador Majid Takht-Ravanchi said an agreement “was out of reach,” but that success required significant changes in U.S. policy, specifically with regard to the imposition of sanctions. He also said guarantees were needed that the United States would not abandon the deal again as it did with Donald Trump in 2018.