Tehran Asks Nuclear Deal Negotiating Parties Not to “Succumb to Israeli Pressure”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday, September 12, that Tehran is ready to continue “constructive cooperation” with the International Atomic Energy Agency and continue negotiations to lift sanctions, while calling on negotiating parties not to “succumb to Israeli pressure.”

Nasser Kanaani said at his weekly press conference that the Islamic Republic is still “awaiting receipt of a formal response from the other side” regarding the course of negotiations.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also responded to Israel’s recent claim that it has presented “new documents regarding Iran’s nuclear activities to European countries and the Agency” by urging negotiating parties not to be “influenced by Israel’s unconstructive behavior.”

Two days earlier, Kanaani had described the joint statement by Britain, France, and Germany regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programs as being under the influence of the Israeli government with the aim of “sabotaging negotiations,” saying that if “such an approach continues, they should accept responsibility for its consequences.”

Following Iran’s insistence on closing the file on uranium particle disclosure at undeclared sites, the three European parties to the JCPOA called on Saturday for the Islamic Republic to cooperate without delay and in good faith with the International Atomic Energy Agency on this issue.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson again called the statement “inaccurate and unbalanced” at today’s press conference and described it as “resulting from incorrect calculations by the European side,” calling on them to “strive to pave the way for an agreement.”

This comes as Britain, France, and Germany warned in their statement, referring to Iran’s failure to reach an agreement to revive the JCPOA, that the JCPOA cannot in any way serve as a pretext for Iran to shirk its binding legal obligations regarding nuclear weapons nonproliferation.

These three countries also emphasized that the Islamic Republic must provide valid technical explanations to the Agency regarding the source of uranium found at its declared sites.

The IAEA Director General warned in recent months and most recently in his quarterly report to the Agency’s Board of Governors on September 6 that Tehran is not cooperating regarding the source of uranium discovered at its undeclared sites.

In this report, the Agency also warned about Iran’s 60 percent enriched uranium stockpile approaching the level needed to manufacture a nuclear bomb.

The stalled JCPOA revival negotiations became tied to this issue after 16 months of unsuccessful multilateral talks by the Islamic Republic with JCPOA member states and indirect negotiations with the United States to revive the agreement, the European Union last month presented a final proposal to break the deadlock in these negotiations.

Iran and the United States submitted their responses to this “final” proposal by the European Union, but in its latest response, Iran demanded guarantees from the United States to close the Counter-Proliferation File at the International Atomic Energy Agency, a demand that reduced the hopes of the European JCPOA members and the United States for reviving the agreement.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson also said at his press conference regarding the possibility of postponing further negotiations to lift sanctions until after the U.S. congressional midterm elections: “We have not received any such request at this time.”

Previously, on September 6, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing a European diplomatic source, that a return by Iran and the United States to the nuclear agreement before the November U.S. congressional elections is unlikely.

While the report has not yet been confirmed, White House National Security Council spokesperson said on September 6 that U.S. President Joe Biden wants to ensure that “other available options” exist to ensure Iran does not have access to a nuclear bomb in case the JCPOA negotiations fail.

John Kirby also reiterated that Washington will remain active in reviving the nuclear agreement, but its patience is not infinite.

Source: Radio Farda