French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the ball is now in Tehran’s court with regard to reaching a nuclear deal. On the other hand, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stressed that an agreement cannot be reached in Vienna if Iran’s file at the IAEA is not closed.
The Europeans are awaiting an official response from Tehran to the latest conditions proposed by the Europeans to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018.
In statements to reporters, Macron stressed – following his meeting with the Iranian president on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York – the need for the International Atomic Energy Agency to be able to carry out its work independently.
He added that “the International Atomic Energy Agency is not politicized, and its independence must be preserved.”
On the other hand, the Iranian president said he had told Macron that no agreement might be reached in Vienna if Iran’s file at the IAEA was not closed.
He added that the IAEA’s dealings with Tehran should be technical and not be subject to political pressure.
This is the first time Macron has met my president since the Iranian president was elected in August 2021.
American position
In contrast, Archyde.com quoted White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as saying that the United States does not expect a breakthrough in the process of reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during the United Nations General Assembly this week, but Washington remains open to the two sides resuming compliance with the agreement.
Sullivan confirmed to reporters that President Joe Biden will reiterate in his speech to the United Nations that the United States is ready for both sides to comply with the agreement.
And yesterday, Monday, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told reporters – on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York – “No better offer will be put on the table, and it is up to Iran to make the right decisions,” adding that there are no initiatives on the way to end the stalemate.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who is coordinating the talks, said he saw little chance of progress at the UN General Assembly.
Borrell added that the Iranian responses do not contribute to achieving an end result, but he indicated that the negotiating parties are still close to achieving a final result on the nuclear agreement.
He stressed during a press conference in New York that his proposal to revive the nuclear agreement would remain on the table, and said that he did not see a better solution than it.
The indirect talks that lasted for months between Iran and the United States faltered due to several issues, including Tehran’s insistence on closing the International Atomic Energy Agency, an investigation into the presence of uranium traces in 3 undeclared sites before reviving the agreement, and Tehran’s demand for American guarantees that Washington would not withdraw from any nuclear agreement once once more. other.
The United States under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal) in May 2018, and re-imposed tough sanctions on Tehran, which has gradually violated the nuclear restrictions stipulated in the agreement in response.
