Iranian Foreign Minister Accuses European Countries of Adopting a 'Destructive Approach' Regarding the Nuclear File
In a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the three European countries (Britain, France, and Germany) of 'participating in a path of domination' and adopting a 'destructive approach' due to their insistence on reinstating United Nations sanctions against Tehran.
This came during his meeting on Thursday with his British counterpart, Yvette Cooper, where Araghchi expressed 'strong criticism of the performance of the three European countries regarding the Iranian nuclear file', considering their insistence on reinstating the canceled Security Council resolutions as 'unjustified, illegal, and irresponsible'.
The Iranian minister confirmed that 'Tehran is ready to resolve any doubts regarding the nuclear program', reminding of the numerous proposals his country has made to keep the diplomatic path open. However, he pointed out that the decision of the European countries to activate the 'snapback mechanism' came 'in the context of the inhumane maximum pressure policy adopted by the United States administration'.
Araghchi emphasized that 'the approach of the three European countries and the United States over the past ten years has not been based on any logic other than the pursuit of depriving the Iranian people of their legitimate rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty'.
This escalation comes at a critical moment, as all United Nations sanctions on Iran are set to be reinstated on Friday evening (0000 GMT), after the 'European troika' accused Tehran of violating the 2015 agreement.
In a final attempt, the concerned parties are working to reach an agreement to postpone the reinstatement of sanctions. According to diplomats, the chances of avoiding this without an agreement are 'slim'. The European countries have offered a postponement of up to six months on the condition that Iran allows the entry of UN nuclear inspectors, addresses concerns about its enriched uranium stockpile, and engages in talks with the United States.
