French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Vienna talks on the Iranian nuclear file were “very slow”, warning of the danger to Tehran’s uranium enrichment capabilities.
“Discussions are underway, but from our point of view they are very slow,” Le Drian told the French parliament on Tuesday, adding that “it threatens the prospect of reaching a solution that is of interest in a realistic time frame.” respects.”
The French minister indicated late last December that some progress had been made, “but we are still far from completing those talks,” he said.
Le Drian considered the matter “immediate and important because of Iran’s course of actions and its nuclear program” and added that in terms of 90% uranium enrichment and nuclear capability “the situation is alarming as Iran has reached the final stage”.
France’s foreign minister was more optimistic last Friday when he said talks were progressing “on a relatively positive path”, expressing confidence that an agreement could be reached.
Following that statement, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullahiyan said that France had changed its behavior and stopped playing the role of a “bad cop” in the talks.
Iran is in talks with major world powers in Vienna to revive a 2015 agreement on its nuclear program. The United States, which unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018, is indirectly participating in the talks.
Negotiations resumed on 3 January, and Western diplomats expected a breakthrough by the end of this month or in early February, but sharp differences remain over the most difficult outstanding issues, and Iran has not been able to impose any sanctions by Western powers. Defies deadline.
critical juncture
In this context, sources close to the talks said that matters have reached a turning point, and this week will determine the course and future of the Vienna talks.
For its part, Tehran says it is holding talks genuinely in Vienna and is not optimistic or pessimistic about the progress of the negotiation process.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said – in a press conference last Monday – that there had been good progress in the four files being discussed, which are “the removal of sanctions, the nuclear issue, confirming the lifting of sanctions, and non-improving sanctions”. obtaining a guarantee”. Withdrawal from the nuclear deal”.
During the talks, Tehran stressed the priority of lifting Washington’s re-imposed sanctions after it withdrew from the deal, and received guarantees that the US withdrawal would not be repeated.
On the other hand, the United States and European sides focus on the importance of Iran’s withdrawal to fully honor its obligations under the agreement, which it began to withdraw in 2019 in response to Washington’s withdrawal.
Amateur web specialist. General food junkie. Typical zombie enthusiast. Avid music trailblazer. Lifelong explorer.
