Iran and the European countries continue to remain in a patient situation to reach an agreement at the last minute and to re-reinforce the UN sanctions before the deadline on September 27. Nevertheless, both sides left the door open for further conversations.
The Foreign Minister of France, Great Britain and Germany-the so-called E3 trio-as well as the EU foreign representative Kaja Kallas held talks with their Iranian counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“Diplomacy has a chance. The deadlines are running and we will see. But we also need concrete steps from the Iranian side,” said Kallas to reporters.
On August 28, the E3 initiated a 30-day process for reinstatement of the UN sanctions, which ends on September 27th. They accuse Tehran of not having followed the 2015 nuclear deal that should prevent the development of nuclear weapons.
The European countries have offered to suspend sanctions for up to six months in order to create space for discussions about a long-term solution, provided Iran restores access for UN inspectors, concerns with regard to its enriched uranium stock and takes up discussions with the USA.
However, three European diplomats reported that despite the knowledge of everyone involved, there were still considerable differences to the necessary steps.
September 27: Final period
“So far, Iran has not fulfilled the conditions, but the talks continued to fully exploit all possibilities,” said a French diplomatic source. “We stay mobilized until the last moment. The ball is now with Iran.”
If Tehran and the E3 do not reach an extension by the end of September 27, all UN sanctions, including those against the central energy sector for Iran, will be put into force again. The country’s economy is already suffering from the sanctions that have been imposed again since 2018, after US President Donald Trump had terminated the agreement during his first term.
Tehran has long emphasized that his nuclear program only serves peaceful purposes.
“In view of the unfounded and illegal step to reinstate the Sanctions of the UN Security Council, some ideas and suggestions were brought in for the continuation of diplomacy, and it was agreed to continue the consultations,” the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
According to diplomats, the minimum requirement would be that Iran presented a detailed special report on its nuclear locations – including those that were bombed by the USA and Israel in June – as well as concrete clarity and a time frame for inspection visits.
However, even that could not be enough, since the United States ultimately rejected an agreement and a resolution of the UN Security Council could block with its veto to extend the process.
In an interview with Reuters in New York, the head of the UN Atom Supervisory Authority, Rafael Grossi, whose authority is currently negotiating again about another inspectors, said on Tuesday that there were “intensive” conversations between him, Iran, the European countries and the USA to find a solution.
He explained that a team of inspectors was on the way to Iran if an agreement is reached this week.
“Everything is possible. Wherever there is a will, there is also a way,” says Grossi.
Before the meeting between Iran and the E3, German Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul said that “chances of a diplomatic solution before the sanctions come into force are extremely low”.
Trump: Position is clear
Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to the Iranian senior guide, criticized the West for “empty promises” on Tuesday, according to the Iranian state media.
In his speech before the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, Trump said that Iran should never get into the possession of nuclear weapons.
A few hours later, Iran’s top guide Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message: “We do not need nuclear weapons and do not intend to produce them either.”
Khamenei rejected negotiations with Washington, one of the conditions of the E3, decidedly back the nuclear program and said: “Negotiations with the United States would not serve Tehran’s interests and would be a dead end.”
