Iran Gears Up for Nuclear Discussions with the UN as US Warships Arrive in the Middle East
Iran’s Araqchi engages with the UN nuclear chief amid the deployment of US warships; Tehran calls for sanctions relief and dismisses the notion of zero enrichment.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, announced that he will meet with the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Monday, in anticipation of renewed US-Iran nuclear negotiations, amid rising tensions due to the deployment of US warships to the Middle East.
“I am in Geneva with genuine intentions to secure a just and balanced agreement. Araqchi stated on X, indicating Tehran’s resolute position ahead of discussions: “What is not on the table is submission before threats.”
The United States aims to broaden negotiations to include non-nuclear matters like Iran’s missile program; however, Iran insists that it will only engage in discussions about its nuclear program limitations in return for sanctions relief and will not agree to a complete halt on uranium enrichment.
On Sunday, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi informed the BBC that Iran is prepared to make concessions regarding its nuclear programme, contingent upon the easing of sanctions. He stated, “The ball is in America’s court to demonstrate their willingness to engage in a deal.”
In the meantime, US officials have confirmed to Reuters that Washington has sent a second aircraft carrier to the region and is making preparations for the potential of a prolonged military campaign if the negotiations do not succeed. In response, Iran’s civil defence organisation carried out a chemical defence drill on Monday in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, with the goal of enhancing readiness for possible chemical incidents at the southern energy hub.
Negotiations had earlier come to a standstill due to U.S. demands for Iran to halt uranium enrichment, a process that Washington perceives as a move towards developing nuclear weapons. Iran maintains that its programme is exclusively for civilian purposes and seeks to foster trust concerning the peaceful nature of its enrichment activities.
Araqchi announced that he will meet with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi on Monday, joined by nuclear experts, “for deep technical discussions.”
The IAEA has consistently sought clarification from Iran regarding its stockpile of 440 kg (970 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, especially following the Israeli-US strikes last year. The agency is seeking to fully resume inspections at three critical sites impacted by the strikes: Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that any agreement between the U.S. and Iran must guarantee the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, rather than merely stopping enrichment activities. He stated: “There will be no capability for enrichment – not merely halting the enrichment process, but dismantling the equipment and infrastructure that enables enrichment from the outset.”
Netanyahu expressed his skepticism regarding a potential deal, emphasizing that any agreement should entail the removal of enriched material from Iran, highlighting Israel’s firm stance in the negotiations.
