UNGA: Colombia's Petro wants Trump to face criminal process
European countries Germany, France and Britain are set to hold talks with Iran behind the scenes at the UN General Assembly.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said a plan to explore “last ditch options” comes as efforts intensify for Iran to avert sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
Speaking to journalists, Wadephul struck a realistic tone regarding the talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“It must be clear to everyone that, after all of Iran’s delaying tactics, the possibilities and chances of reaching a diplomatic solution before the sanctions are triggered are extremely slim,” he said.
Continuous attempts have been made to prevent Iran from enriching uranium, due to fears Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons.
However, Iran has maintained its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes.
Wadephul: Nuclear deal ‘requires Iran’s willingness’
Last month, Germany, France and Britain triggered a “snapback” sanctions mechanism.
The trio accused Iran of breaching the 2015 Vienna nuclear accord, saying the current levels of uranium enrichment are beyond those needed for civilian purposes.
“Iran has been disregarding its obligations under the Vienna nuclear agreement for years,” Wadephul said. “We have drawn the necessary conclusions from this and triggered the so-called snapback mechanism, which will reinstate international sanctions against Iran at the end of this week.”