France warns of renewed Iran sanctions, IAEA chief says time running out

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has cautioned that the failure of ongoing talks between the United States and Iran could lead to catastrophic consequences for the wider Middle East region.

In an interview with Asharq News on Tuesday, Hussein voiced strong Iraqi support for the negotiation process between Washington and Tehran, expressing optimism for outcomes that would bolster stability in the region.

Any potential agreement reached should not come at the expense of other countries in the Middle East, he said without elaborating.

Hussein also talked about the impact of US sanctions on Iran, which have made Iraq seek alternative sources for its crucial gas imports. Currently, Iranian gas supplies account for approximately 33% of Iraq's electricity generation.

He added that Baghdad is actively engaged in discussions with several countries, including Türkiye, Jordan and Persian Gulf states, to secure alternative energy supplies and reduce its reliance on Iranian gas.

A former Iranian lawmaker said the company linked to the deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion may have misdeclared hazardous cargo as ordinary goods to reduce costs, state media reported on Tuesday.

Ali Motahari said, “According to reports, the main cause of the incident was a company that registered imported goods as non-hazardous. That is the first violation, and the customs inspection office should have verified the report.”

He added that transporting and storing dangerous goods requires strict oversight. “There may have been negligence in this area as well,” Motahari said.

He also questioned whether it was appropriate to store so many containers in one area of the port. “We must examine how this is handled in major ports around the world and learn from international practices,” he said.

Motahari warned that the importer may have misdeclared the cargo for financial gain. “The full facts are not yet clear, but this must be investigated thoroughly, and those responsible must be held accountable,” he said.

"We will not hesitate for a second to reapply all the sanctions that were lifted ten years ago," French minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot told reporters, referring to the snapback mechanism that can reactivate sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, set to expire in October.

"These sanctions would then permanently close Iranian access to European technologies, investments and markets, with devastating effects on the country’s economy."

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, speaking alongside Barrot, stressed the urgency of the situation, saying, "It's not a matter of months or years. It's perhaps a matter of weeks whether we can really come to something that is doable, is feasible, and above all, avoids the spectre of more military conflicts."

Barrot, however, said there was no military solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, calling the diplomatic path "a bumpy road" but necessary as France is coordinating closely with Britain, Germany, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to support the ongoing dialogue with Iran.

"Iran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons. Ten years ago, Iran made a commitment to the international community to contain its nuclear activities," Barrot said.

"Today, Iran has exceeded all the thresholds to which it committed itself. According to IAEA reports, Iran now has 6,000 kilograms of enriched uranium, thirty times more than the limit set by the agreement ten years ago," Barrot added.

Last week, speaking at the US-based think tank Council on Foreign Relations, Grossi said Iran has enough enriched uranium to produce several nuclear warheads and could do so within months.

Iran and the United States opened a third round of nuclear negotiations in Oman over the weekend with the next round expected to be held in Rome on Saturday.

Orange-brown smoke seen in videos from the site of the deadly explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port suggests chemicals such as sodium or ammonia may have been involved, CNN reported after geolocating footage from the scene.

Iranian authorities have blamed a “failure to observe safety principles” for Saturday’s blast, which killed at least 70 people and injured more than 1,000, according to state media.

Eyewitness accounts and surveillance video showed a fire starting among containers before the massive explosion. Officials said hazardous materials were improperly stored but have not confirmed which chemicals triggered the blast.

CNN previously reported that two shipments from China, carrying sodium perchlorate — a chemical used to make solid missile propellant — arrived at Bandar Abbas in February and March.

The New York Times, citing a source linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also reported that sodium perchlorate may have been stored at the site.

Iranian officials have denied that any military materials were held at the port. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.

Expectations for a significant breakthrough in the indirect nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States are low, according to Alex Greenberg, an Iran expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.

Speaking to Iran International, Greenberg said that "there isn't much hope for reaching a serious agreement between the Islamic Republic and the United States, not just for me, but for many other observers. Because no one really knows what is happening in the negotiation process."

Greenberg expressed skepticism about a fundamental shift in Iran's core policies. "In general, it is difficult to imagine the Iranian government abandoning its identity, which is supporting terrorist groups and developing its ballistic missile program. It is not believable that the Islamic Republic would easily abandon these fundamental components of its being," he said.

Greenberg also talked about the irreconcilable positions of Iran and Israel on the nuclear program. "Netanyahu wants the complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, but it is unlikely that the Islamic Republic will accept such a thing. Even if there is an agreement, Iran will probably retain some of its nuclear capabilities."

He concluded by raising doubts about Israel's acceptance of any deal that allows Iran to maintain a nuclear program, even in a limited capacity, citing concerns about verification measures.