France backs US-Iran talks, urges tougher deal with broader terms

New satellite imagery obtained by Iran International shows a huge crater left by the April 26 explosion at Iran's Rajaei port, which killed at least 70 people according to official figures.

According to the photos taken on April 30, a large crater has been formed in front of the administrative building of Sina Marine and Port Services Development Company, which was the epicenter of the explosion.

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France said Thursday that no meeting is scheduled between European and Iranian officials on Friday, following the postponement of US-Iran nuclear talks.

“A technical meeting was planned… but since that meeting is not taking place, the technical meeting is no longer relevant,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told AFP.

Iran had earlier suggested a possible meeting with European envoys on the sidelines of the expected US talks, which were postponed due to “logistical” reasons, according to Oman.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Iran must end uranium enrichment and open all nuclear facilities to American inspectors if it wants to avoid serious consequences, including potential military action.

“If Iran wants peaceful nuclear energy, it should import fuel like dozens of countries do,” Rubio told Fox News. “There’s no reason for enrichment unless you want a weapon.”

He said Iran’s insistence on enrichment, combined with restrictions on inspections, raises serious doubts about its nuclear intentions. Rubio added that any credible deal must include full access to all sites, civilian and military, for American and international inspectors.

“If you’re not building a bomb, you shouldn’t be afraid of inspections — including by Americans,” he said.

"And the level at which they enrich it is really not relevant per se because, really, if you have the ability to enrich at 3.67 percent, it only takes a few weeks to get to 20 percent and then 60 percent and then the 80 and 90 percent that you need for a weapon," he added.

Rubio also said Iran must end its support for proxy groups like the Houthis and stop developing long-range missiles.

“They have to walk away from enrichment, terrorism, and long-range missiles,” he said.

He called the current moment “Iran’s best opportunity” to choose diplomacy and economic growth. President Donald Trump, he said, remains committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, using diplomacy if possible or force if necessary.

According to the photos take on April 30, the large crater has been formed in front of the administrative building of Sina Marine and Port Services Development Company, which was the epicenter of the explosion.

In the images, the complete destruction of the building—located in the northwest section of the compound—can be also clearly seen, along with the adjacent warehouses and at least three other buildings. The trees in the area also appear to be completely burned.

The images also show a large number of shipping containers crushed on both sides of the explosion site, highlighting the extent of the destruction.

Iran International had previously reported that the 15-hectare Sina yard, which could accommodate between 12,000 to 20,000 twenty-foot containers, was entirely destroyed. The latest satellite photos confirm the previous report.

The new images also reveal the total destruction of a large administrative building in the nearby Onik yard, located to the north of the Sina area. Damage to this building has not been previously reported.

Khazar Qeshm Company: 10 hectares

To the west of the Sina yard lies the yard of Khazar Qeshm Company, with an area of 10 hectares, which has been almost completely destroyed. The images show that the roof of the company’s warehouse, which is located approximately 500 meters from the explosion's epicenter, has been completely torn apart.

While the Culture Ministry, the Supreme Council of National Security and the Press Supervisory Board issue ad hoc directives to newspaper editors about what to publish, three newspapers consistently defy those and often escape with a gentle caution.

They are Kayhan, Javan and Vatan-e Emrooz, linked respectively to the Supreme Leader’s office, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the ultraconservative Paydari Party, all of which continue to criticize the negotiations with the United States – in apparent disregard of the highest office of the realm.

Earlier this week, Kayhan, known for its staunch anti-Americanism, attacked those who back talks with Washington, accusing them of turning a blind eye on the harm done to Iran by US sanctions. 

"Why should we trust Trump, a man even his allies do not trust," the paper asked, using some unusually provocative language to describe Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ultraconservative daily Vatan-e Emrooz also cautioned in its editorial against advancing the talks in a way that would make withdrawal or retreat from any agreement impossible.

The negotiating team should be wary of leaving Iran vulnerable to exploitation, the editorial warned.

The admonitions and the critiques may not be as harsh as they were a couple of weeks ago – prior to Khamenei’s cryptic backing of negotiations. But the very fact that they keep flowing after the leader’s blessing of diplomacy is significant.

"Speaking without restraint at times ... our unnecessary objections, our lack of patience, and our flawed analyses of situations can have historical consequences,” Khamenei cautioned last week with no direct reference to the ongoing negotiations. 

“Therefore, we must be very careful," he said. But the trio appear to have not received the memo. Or maybe they have.

The three dailies not only represent powerful factions within the Islamic Republic’s polity, but they also enjoy direct access–with varying degrees–to Khamenei’s office.

It may be easier, therefore, to explain their editorials as necessary objections, contingencies for a potential policy shift should the interests of the leadership require one.

No surprise, perhaps, that IRGC-linked Javan, the daily closest to and representing actual power, has shown the most balanced approach to the negotiations in recent weeks. 

"Iran may wish to maintain its image as an anti-imperialist warrior. But who says an agreement limited to eliminating sanctions against reducing enrichment levels will tarnish that image,” Javan asked in an editorial this week.

"We have done this before. Why shouldn't we do it again...? No country in the world will characterize this as Iran relinquishing its ideals."

Unlike other outlets in Iran, which face severe consequences for minor errors, these three dailies roam carefree on the theocracy’s political plane. Whether or not their tone is part of a grand strategy by the topmost officialdom remains unknown.

"Some say that Trump is unpredictable,” Javan concluded its editorial. “Well, we are not that predictable either!"