Iran says nuclear cooperation with IAEA ‘no longer relevant’

Iranian FM warns that Europe has ‘eliminated justification for talks’ with UN atomic watchdog aft triggering snapback sanctions.

Iran’s overseas curate has declared that practice with the United Nations atomic watchdog is “no longer relevant” aft Western countries reinstated planetary sanctions connected the country.

“The Cairo statement is nary longer applicable for our practice with the IAEA,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said connected Sunday, referring to a woody signed past period with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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That statement had laid retired a model for renewed inspections and monitoring aft Tehran suspended practice pursuing Israeli and United States attacks connected its atomic facilities successful June.

However, the woody mislaid value aft Britain, France and Germany – each signatories to the 2015 atomic accord – triggered the instrumentality of UN sanctions, accusing Iran of breaching its commitments, claims which Tehran has rejected.

“The 3 European countries thought they had leverage successful their hands, threatening to instrumentality a snapback,” Araghchi told overseas diplomats successful Tehran. “Now they person utilized this lever and seen the results. The 3 European countries person decidedly diminished their relation and astir eliminated the justification for negotiations with them.”

He added that the European trio “will person a overmuch smaller relation than successful the past” successful immoderate aboriginal talks implicit Iran’s atomic programme.

Double standards

Tehran has accused the IAEA of treble standards, saying the bureau failed to condemn Israeli strikes connected Iranian atomic sites contempt its obligations nether the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Western states, led by the US and supported by Israel, person agelong accused Iran of seeking atomic weapons – allegations Tehran powerfully denies. Iran insists its programme is purely civilian and that it retains the close to enrich uranium nether the NPT.

Some Iranian lawmakers person suggested withdrawing from the NPT altogether, though President Masoud Pezeshkian has maintained that Iran volition stay committed to its pact obligations.

Araghchi said Tehran’s “decision regarding practice with the bureau volition beryllium announced”, without elaborating, but noted that “there is inactive country for diplomacy”.

Talks betwixt Iran and the US that began successful April to revive a broader atomic statement collapsed aft Israeli attacks successful June targeted Iranian nuclear, subject and residential sites.

Tehran has since accused Washington of sabotaging diplomacy and demanded guarantees and designation of its rights earlier immoderate imaginable resumption of negotiations.

Iran has repeatedly denied seeking a atomic weapon, portion Israel is wide believed to person an undeclared atomic arsenal of dozens of atomic bombs.