European powers deemed irrelevant by Irans Araghchi in nuclear talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently made comments on social media platform X, criticizing European powers for being “paralyzed and irrelevant” in efforts to revive nuclear negotiations with the United States.

Araghchi described the Munich Security Conference as a “circus,” implying that European countries were not taking an active role in the talks. He stated that regional powers, particularly those in the Gulf, have been more effective and helpful than the EU/E3 in facilitating discussions between the US and Iran.

The E3, which includes France, the United Kingdom, and Germany, played a key role in previous nuclear negotiations with Iran, leading to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. However, since the US withdrew from the deal in 2018, the process has largely stalled.

In recent talks between the US and Iran, Gulf countries such as Oman and Qatar have taken on a more prominent role in facilitating discussions. Araghchi’s comments suggest that the Iranian side views the E3 mechanism as no longer a viable channel for resolving issues.

Oman is set to host talks between the US and Iran in Geneva on Tuesday, following previous indirect negotiations in Muscat last year. The talks come amid ongoing tensions in the region, with the US increasing its military presence in the Middle East. Despite these efforts, the two sides have maintained their positions, with Iran showing flexibility on some issues but refusing to compromise on others.

The new rounds of negotiations will focus on discussing Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles, as well as regional armed groups. The US has expressed a desire to widen the talks to include these issues, while Iran views them as nonnegotiable.

Source: Al Jazeera