Iran pushed back Friday on the prospect of extending a UN resolution tied to the 2015 nuclear deal, as it resumed direct talks with Britain, France and Germany for the first time since Israeli and US strikes on its territory.
Tehran rejects talk of extending UN resolution
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described the meeting with Britain, France and Germany as a “test of realism” for the E3 powers, calling it a chance for them to correct past positions. He said Iran opposes any extension of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which underpins the nuclear deal and expires in October, arguing that the E3 have “no legal standing” to pursue such a move.
Baghaei accused the three countries of siding with the US and Israel during last month's military strikes on Iranian soil and said they had “marginalized themselves” as negotiating partners.
E3 weighing sanctions delay
According to Western diplomats cited by the Financial Times, European powers are considering offering Iran a delay in reimposing UN sanctions, contingent upon Tehran resuming talks with Washington and restoring some cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Without such a step, the so-called snapback mechanism could be triggered as early as mid-September.
IAEA to send team, but no access to nuclear sites
Baghaei said a senior IAEA official is expected to visit Tehran in the coming weeks for talks on a new cooperation framework, but emphasized there are no plans for the delegation to inspect nuclear facilities damaged in last month’s Israeli and US strikes. The focus of the visit, he said, will be procedural coordination, and any further cooperation will depend on decisions by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi had earlier confirmed that a technical IAEA team would travel to Tehran, reiterating that site inspections were not on the agenda. He said Iran’s engagement with the agency was being guided by parliamentary legislation passed in response to the June attacks.
