2023-06-04 14:05:00
In the shadow of concern in Israel The return of the nuclear agreement At the negotiating table between the Western countries and Iran, the Financial Times newspaper reported last weekend that the US and European countries have renewed talks with the Islamic Republic regarding its nuclear activities. According to the report, for the first time since the US, under the Trump administration, withdrew from the agreement the original, Direct talks took place between officials in Iran and the US.
The report comes against the background of the publication of a new report by the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Iran, which claims that the agency no longer has any questions about uranium particles found enriched to the level of 83.7% in its underground facility in Purdue, and that it finished her investigation About the facility previously unveiled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Amit Shavi, Paul)
In the meantime, a senior Western diplomat said that “there is an acknowledgment that we need a diplomatic plan to deal with Iran’s nuclear program. The worrying thing is that Iran’s decision-making is chaotic and it could lead to conflict with Israel.” The United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom suspended diplomatic efforts with Iran last September, after Tehran was angry that the West rejected the withdrawal draft to revive the nuclear deal. However, Iranian officials have met with European representatives in recent months, in several meetings held in Oslo, about in order to discuss the nuclear issue.
most of methe US special envoy to Iran, met several times with Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Said Irvani, who was a senior member of the Supreme Council for National Security, before being stationed in New York. A spokesman for the State Department said that “we have the means to communicate with Iran and send them messages, when it works in parallel with the interests of the United States.”
The talks that were held recently are the first talks that have been held directly since the US withdrew from the nuclear agreement. The source briefed on the details stated that the discussions between the parties focused mainly on the possibility of a prisoner exchange, as Tehran still holds at least three American citizens. Tehran agreed last week to carry out an exchange deal captives with Belgium, and also released two Austrian citizens it was holding. Therefore, a successful deal with the US can certainly improve the outlook towards the nuclear agreement.
The nuclear facility in Natanz, archive (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)
Also, American diplomats and analysts have indicated that there is a potential possibility of an interim agreement, or a move whereby Iran will reduce the levels of uranium enrichment, in exchange for some relief in sanctions. Another diplomat informed that “it is unlikely that there will be a nuclear agreement, but there may be an interim agreement”. An American official said that “Washington will always prefer the diplomatic side, and this is the best way to ensure that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. However, we have not taken the option off the table again.”
As mentioned, according to the IAEA report, Iran has increased the level of enriched uranium by 25% to a level of 60% and continues to violate the restrictions imposed on its nuclear activities as part of the nuclear agreement signed in 2015, from which the US under the Trump administration withdrew. The report states that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is estimated at 114.1 kg at various levels of up to 60%. An amount of 42 kg of enriched uranium at a level of 60% is sufficient for a nuclear bomb if it continues to be enriched for military purposes.
International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA (Photo: REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger)
According to the IAEA, Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium at all levels totals 4,744.5 kg. In the previous quarterly report, the inventory was low by 983.7 kg. Another report stated that Iran allowed the IAEA to install surveillance measures at two declared enrichment facilities, one of them in Isfahan, where centrifuge components are manufactured. The report states: “The IAEA is still waiting for answers from Iran regarding the disputes at two nuclear sites and must allow the monitoring and supervision measures to be installed there. Regarding one of the three sites where uranium particles were found, Iran provided a reasonable explanation and the IAEA has no further questions.”
Last Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement Regarding the closure of the Marivan case by the International Atomic Energy Agency and called it “a matter of great concern”. “The explanations provided by Iran for the presence of nuclear material at the site are not reliable or technically possible,” the Foreign Ministry noted, “Iran continues to lie to the IAEA and deceive the international community.” “The surrender of the Director General of the IAEA and the International Atomic Energy Agency to political pressure The Iranian case is very disappointing, mainly because the information in the file implicitly points to two faces of flagrant Iranian violations of the inspection agreements,” they added.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “closing the file could have extremely dangerous consequences – and it conveys a message to the Iranians that they are not required to pay a price for their violations, and that they can continue to deceive the international community on their way to achieving a full military nuclear program. In addition, closing the file in this way seriously harms in the professional credibility of the IAEA”.
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