Discussions between Iran and France, Germany and the United Kingdom will be held next Friday regarding the Iranian nuclear program.
Paris, Berlin and London, associated with Washington, are at the origin of a text critical of Tehran's nuclear program presented during a meeting in Vienna at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which criticizes Iran's lack of cooperation. The text was approved Thursday by 19 of the 35 member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, provoking the ire of Iran which announced in retaliation the commissioning of “new advanced centrifuges” for its nuclear program. The spokesperson for Iranian diplomacy, Esmaïl Baghaï, specified that the meeting would be held on Friday, without however indicating the location.
The country denies wanting to acquire the atomic bomb
The United Kingdom confirmed on Sunday that these talks would take place. “We remain committed to taking all diplomatic steps to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including through retaliatory measures if necessary,” the British Foreign Office said.
Tehran defends the right to nuclear power for civilian purposes, particularly for energy, but denies wanting to acquire an atomic bomb, which Western countries suspect. In 2015, Iran concluded an agreement in Vienna with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Russia and the United States to regulate its nuclear program.
In return, the text provided for a reduction in international sanctions against Tehran.
But in 2018, Donald Trump, then President of the United States, unilaterally withdrew his country from the agreement – with which Tehran complied, according to the IAEA – and reestablished heavy sanctions against Iran. In retaliation, Tehran significantly increased its reserves of enriched materials and raised the threshold to 60%, close to the 90% needed to make an atomic weapon, under the IAEA definition.
Discussions planned on the regional situation
The nuclear agreement, now an empty shell that negotiations have failed to revive and which will expire in October 2025, capped this rate at 3.67%. Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, in power since July and a supporter of dialogue with Western countries, said he wanted to remove “doubts and ambiguities” about his country's nuclear program. Iran thus believes it has demonstrated “goodwill” by inviting the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, last week to visit the nuclear sites of Natanz and Fordo (center).
In addition to this issue, Iran will discuss with these countries the regional and international situation, “including the questions of Palestine and Lebanon,” Mr. Baghaï said in a press release. Iran is a strong supporter of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, two Islamist movements at war with Israel, Tehran's sworn enemy since the advent of the Islamic Republic in 1979.
