Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg estimated last night that there is no longer a chance for a renewed nuclear agreement with Iran. “Achieving an agreement could have been
Positively, now we must send a clear message: we cannot accept the developments in Iran,” he said
Austria’s foreign minister, Alexander Schallenberg, estimated that there is no longer a chance for a renewed nuclear agreement with Iran. Let’s recall that his country hosted the negotiations for a nuclear agreement with Iran as well as the discussions to revive the agreement in the last two years. According to him, “Austria was the most enthusiastic supporter of achieving the nuclear agreement, we hosted the talks in Vienna. Even last summer there was hope that an agreement would be reached. I am afraid that the window of opportunity for this agreement has closed, that there is no longer any possibility of reaching an agreement, especially with the current regime in view of the steps it is taking now.”
He also said, “Achieving an agreement could have been positive, since the alternative to it is a nuclear arms race in the Gulf region. This cannot be good. But now we must send a clear message: we cannot accept the developments in Iran.” The Austrian foreign minister expressed severe criticism of the suppression of the popular demonstrations against the Iranian regime, the public executions of demonstrators and the supply of Iranian drones to Russia for the needs of the war in Ukraine. The supply of the drones constitutes, according to him, Iranian support for violating international law and makes Iran an indirect partner War crimes.
Iran’s ambassador to Austria was summoned this week for a reprimand at the Austrian Foreign Ministry. Schallenberg emphasized that the European Union is expected to impose additional sanctions on Iran at the Union summit to be held in two weeks. Schallenberg added that “the political and social developments in Iran are moving completely in the wrong direction.” He noted that in the past his country maintained open channels of communication with the Iranian people even during the most difficult periods of the Islamic regime, in the 1980s and 1990s. However, he stated that, in view of recent developments, Austria – despite being a neutral country – considers itself obligated to respond.