Iran urges Europe, IAEA to resist US pressure on nuclear issue

The Iranian government published a detailed public letter alleging that Europe and the International Atomic Energy Agency are under pressure from the US to be tougher on Iran.

The unsigned 2,000 word article on the government's news website, IRNA, argued that the postponement of a meeting of European foreign ministers with Iran and critical remarks made by the head of IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, shows pressure from Washington.

“Has Europe once again settled into the safe zone of inaction, completing Donald Trump's puzzle and allowing him to dominate the scene?", the article said.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that a planned ministers-only discussion on Iran was postponed due to the absence of key foreign ministers.

“On Iran, we were supposed to have discussions, ministers-only format, regarding Iran today but because very important foreign ministers were missing, so we postponed this,” Kallas said.

IRNA accused Europe and the IAEA of making contradictory statements about Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that Tehran has the right to unlimited uranium enrichment, as international conventions do not prohibit it. The article also blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for orchestrating international opposition to Iran.

The article then went on to suggest “confidence building” measures between Europe, the IAEA and Iran, acknowledging that for three decades the two sides have spelled out their positions.

“The JCPOA formula offers the most cost-effective and efficient way to build trust," the letter on IRNA stated, while many consider the deal outdated and even dead.

"Through a series of strategic calculations and negotiations among the parties involved, the 2015 JCPOA became one of the most significant agreements of the past century. These dynamics can be replicated if the European Union abandons its outdated carrot-and-stick approach and engages in transparent dialogue," it added.

Last week, amid Iran's continued denials of building a nuclear weapon, the IAEA chief said the UN body was prepared to help Iran prove it did not seek nuclear weapons.

"We want to make ourselves available, providing technically sound alternatives to eliminate the possibility that Iran develops a nuclear weapon, to prevent Iran, or to help Iran prove that they don't want to develop a nuclear weapon," Rafael Grossi told reporters at Japan’s National Press Club.

However, only last year, Grossi warned that Iran, which has limited IAEA inspections of its nuclear facilities since 2021, was "weeks not months" away from a nuclear weapon.

Trump withdrew from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement in May 2018, calling it a bad deal and demanding more concessions from Tehran. He then imposed strict economic sanctions, which the Biden administration was accused of not fully enforcing.

However, earlier this month, the US president announced the revitalization of these sanctions under his “maximum pressure” policy. He underlined that his main demand is for Iran never to acquire nuclear weapons.

Iran, facing a serious economic crisis, needs to reach an agreement with the Trump administration if it wants to reduce or eliminate the sanctions, but its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei this month banned talks with Washington.

Iranian officials insist that they will not negotiate under Trump’s pressure.