Macron Meets Raisi Despite Europe’s Pessimism Over Progress in Nuclear Talks

Amid protests against Ibrahim Raisi’s presence in New York and widespread demonstrations following Mahsa Amini’s death due to morality police violence, Emmanuel Macron met with Iran’s President.

The meeting took place on Tuesday, September 20, at the margins of the UN General Assembly and was Raisi’s first meeting with a Western leader since taking office in 2021.

Macron and Raisi’s meeting came after a complete impasse in negotiations to revive the nuclear deal between Iran and Western powers.

Macron had previously expressed hope that he could discuss “all topics” with Iran’s President.

France had also announced on Monday that there is no better proposal for Iran besides the nuclear deal.

The EU’s foreign policy chief recently stated that he does not expect the nuclear deal revival talks to make progress at the margins of this international event.

Joseph Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, told reporters on September 28 in New York: “The proposal put forward by the coordinators [the EU’s proposed text for a possible nuclear deal agreement] is on the table and will remain there.”

He emphasized: “I do not see a better solution and it will not be changed.”

Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s representative in Iran’s nuclear negotiations, responded to Borrell’s remarks by saying that these statements indicate the talks have reached a stalemate.

The senior Russian official, meanwhile, blamed Washington by referring to the upcoming US Congressional midterm elections and added: “It is unfair to blame Iran. The talks are overly dependent on the political agenda of another participant.”

The nuclear deal revival talks approached their final stages with the announcement of a proposed text for a possible agreement, but the US stated that Iran’s latest response to this text has set the negotiations back at least one step.

France’s President has repeatedly held telephone conversations with Ibrahim Raisi in recent months regarding Iran’s nuclear file and recently stated that “the ball is in Iran’s court.”

Catherine Colonna, France’s Foreign Minister, told reporters on Monday at the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York that it is up to Tehran to decide now, as the window for finding a solution is closing.

While the nuclear deal revival talks have stalled due to Iran’s demands, particularly seeking guarantees from the United States and the closure of the file on Iran’s undeclared nuclear sites at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Raisi once again called for “guarantees” from the United States against withdrawal from a possible nuclear agreement.

In an interview with the US CBS network, he added that he agrees with a “good agreement” and a “fair agreement,” but this agreement must be “durable.”

Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, also claimed that messages from the Agency to Tehran “show that they intend to close this file.”

Mr. Eslami added: “We hope they are sincere and do not waste more time and do not think they can apply maximum pressure with such a matter.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency has not yet responded to these remarks but previously stated that its investigation file regarding Iran’s atomic activities is unrelated to the nuclear deal revival.

Source: Radio Farda