Berlin, Paris and London on Saturday expressed their “serious doubts” about Tehran’s “commitment” to achieving a “positive result” in the ongoing negotiations to save the 2015 nuclear deal.
“Iran is continuing to escalate its nuclear program well beyond what could be plausibly justified on civil grounds,” the governments of the three countries said in a joint statement.
“Critical diplomatic opportunity”
“At the beginning of August, after a year and a half of negotiations, the coordinator of the JCPoA (the 2015 agreement) presented a set of final texts which would allow Iran to once again fulfill its obligations under the JCPoA and the States United States to return to the agreement”, recall the governments of the three countries in a joint press release.
“In this final package, the coordinator made additional changes that pushed us to the limits of our flexibility,” they point out. “Unfortunately, Iran has decided not to seize this decisive diplomatic opportunity” and “continues to escalate its nuclear program far beyond what could be plausibly justified on civil grounds”, regret London, Paris and Berlin.
IAEA investigation ongoing
Tehran thus recently requested once again the closing of an investigation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concerning traces of enriched uranium found on three undeclared sites, which the head of the Agency, Rafael Grossi refuses.
“This latest request raises serious doubts about Iran’s intentions and commitment to a successful JCPoA outcome,” the three countries argue.
According to them, “Iran’s position is not in line with its legally binding obligations and jeopardizes the prospects for the re-establishment of the JCPoA”, concluded in 2015 with Tehran by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (States States, France, United Kingdom, China and Russia) plus Germany. “Our position remains clear and unchanged. Iran must cooperate fully and immediately with the IAEA, in good faith,” they add.
A step back “
“Given that Iran is not getting the deal on the table, we will discuss with our international partners how best to handle Iran’s continued nuclear escalation and lack of cooperation with the IAEA.” , warn Paris, London and Paris.
Iran’s latest response in the ongoing negotiations is a “backward” step, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had already estimated on Friday in Brussels.