Iranian nuclear: Europeans insist on “the urgency” to reach an agreement

Published on : 12/28/2021 – 7:32 PM

Home stretch to save the Iran nuclear deal. The Europeans insisted, Tuesday, December 28, on “the urgency” to conclude these negotiations, while Iran is approaching “significantly” of the stock of uranium necessary for the manufacture of a bomb.

“This negotiation is urgent”, declared representatives of the three European countries (France, Germany, United Kingdom) signatories of the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement (JCPOA), the day after the resumption of negotiations in Vienna to try to save him.

“It is clear that we are approaching the point where the Iranian nuclear escalation will have emptied the JCPOA of its substance,” they noted, reiterating that there were “weeks and not months left to make a deal.”

They particularly insisted on the level of uranium enrichment by Iran, which brings it dangerously close to the nuclear threshold. “We take note of the comment by the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization that Iran will not enrich beyond 60%,” they noted. “The fact remains that getting to 60% is unprecedented for a non-nuclear weapon state.”

“The increase in its stocks of uranium to 60% brings Iran significantly closer to obtaining the fissile material that can be used for the manufacture of a nuclear weapon,” they insisted.

“Very difficult” discussions to come

The stake of the talks aims to bring back into the pact the United States, which had left it in 2018, and to bring back Tehran to the respect of its commitments, broken in reaction to the reinstatement of American sanctions.

In addition to the three European countries, China and Russia are also involved in the negotiations with Iran. The United States is participating indirectly.

European Union (EU) coordinator Enrique Mora, who is chairing the talks, said on Monday that all parties had shown “a clear willingness to work for the success of this negotiation” but predicted discussions still “very difficult” in the “days and weeks to come”.

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For its part, Tehran assured Tuesday that the discussions were going “in the right direction” in Vienna.

“We believe that if the other stakeholders continue to show good faith in this barely started round of negotiations, it will be possible to reach a good agreement for all the parties involved”, told reporters on Tuesday. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

“If seriousness is added to good faith, it is possible to reach an agreement soon, in the near future,” he said in a video released by the official Iranian press.

With Reuters and AFP