Ebrahim Raisi and Emanuel Macron have met at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
President of Iran and his team have met with Emmanuel Macron of France and other prominent European leaders in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting takes place in the midst of their ongoing nuclear agreement standoff between Iran and the world powers.
In addition, Raisi met on Tuesday with Charles Michel, the head of the European Council, Josep Borrell, and Enrique Mora, who serves as the negotiator of the nuclear negotiations, which kicked of Early last year. In these separate meetings, the Ebrahim Raisi was joined by the foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and the chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Bagheri Kani.
Iranian and European chief negotiators then conducted separate conversations, which are said to have mostly addressed delayed efforts to revive the JCPOA. Four years ago, the US unilaterally walked out from the nuclear agreement setting the scene for the collapse of the historic deal.
The Iranian president made a strong requirement to Emanuel Macron, according to Raisi office, that the IAEA launch investigations. He emphasized that any deal must be followed by the conclusion of an IAEA investigation into numerous Iranian nuclear sites involving mysterious radioactive particles.
“The agency’s approach towards technical issues must be away from pressures by others, and we believe that achieving an agreement will not be possible without closing Iran’s cases,” Raisi told his French counterpart. Raisi added that Europe must demonstrate by action that its goals and policies are distinct from those of the US and do not reflect those of the US.
Raisi’s diplomatic involvement in New York aims to expand Iranian leverages over future talks. Tehran has referred to a range of alternatives to the nuclear deal in recent months.
Raisi In New York
According to reports, Macron made suggestions to move the negotiations forward after Iran’s most recent written response to a European draft document earlier this month caused them to stop once more. “Iran and the agency are able to resolve existing cases and we won’t exert political pressure on the agency on this issue,” Macron further added in the meeting.
The Iranian president asked Michel what would happen to Iran if the safeguards issues remained unresolved. The day following an agreement, Raisi thinks there is no assurance that the three European nations won’t once again seek and push a resolution against Tehran.
In June, the E3—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—along with the US, proposed a resolution denouncing Iran. 28 agency cameras at Iran’s nuclear plants were taken down as a result of the action.
At the IAEA board last week, the Western allies also read out a statement denouncing Iran’s unwillingness to cooperate. Two-thirds of the board, or 56 nations, supported the proclamation.
The talks on Tuesday came one day after France’s foreign minister pushed Tehran to accept the proposal put out to salvage the historic agreement. The period of opportunity, according to Catherine Colonna, will soon expire.
Borrell had also stated that he didn’t think the UN General Assembly would make much progress. Borrel’s comments confirmed speculations that there won’t be any significant advancement until at least until the approaching US midterms in November.
Israel continues to be the principal opponent of the nuclear agreement. Even with the JCPOA restored, according to Mossad head, Iran would not be immune from Israeli actions.
Tehran has responded to Israeli threats with serious remarks or actions. The Iranian officials are seemingly working on regional and trans-regional alliances to substitute for the nuclear deal.
