(JNS) Britain, France and Germany have agreed to continue nuclear negotiations with Tehran following a meeting on Friday in Geneva and amid threats by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to reinstitute a “maximum pressure” campaign on the Islamic Republic once he assumes office in January.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister and senior nuclear negotiator Majid Takht-Ravanchi met with top diplomats from the European nations, known collectively as the E3.
The talks came after the European countries joined the United States to have Iran censured by the U.N. atomic watchdog for its lack of cooperation.
The resolution by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors notes an “essential and urgent” need for Iran to provide “technically credible explanations” for the uranium traces at undeclared facilities. It also urges the IAEA to compile “a comprehensive and updated assessment on the possible presence or use of undeclared nuclear material in connection with past and present outstanding issues regarding Iran’s nuclear program.”
According to a November report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Tehran had 182.3 kilograms (401.9 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60%, an increase of 17.6 kilograms (38.8 pounds) since its last report in August. This level of enrichment is a technical step short of 90% enrichment, considered weapons grade.
Iran condemned the censure as “politically motivated” and announced the launch of “new advanced centrifuges” to produce additional enriched uranium.
Last week, Britain’s foreign intelligence chief said that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions posed a major global threat. “Iran’s allied militias across the Middle East have suffered serious blows,” said Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) chief Sir Richard Moore, adding, “But the regime’s nuclear ambitions continue to threaten all of us.”
Similarly, the head of France’s DGSI intelligence service warned of the risk of Iran’s nuclear breakout, noting that Paris and London were preparing for such an eventuality.
“Our services are working side by side to face what is undoubtedly one of the threats, if not to say the most critical threat, in the coming months—the possible atomic proliferation in Iran,” Nicolas Lerner said. “The intelligence will be crucial to enable our authorities to make the right decisions and define the right strategies.”
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper published on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his country was considering altering its nuclear policy.
The threat came after an adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said earlier this month that Tehran has the capacity to develop nuclear weapons, should it choose to do so.
“We now have the technical capabilities necessary to produce nuclear weapons,” Kamal Kharrazi told the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen outlet.
In May, Kharrazi told the ISNA news agency: “If the Zionist regime dares to damage Iran’s nuclear facilities, our level of deterrence will be different. We have no decision to produce a nuclear bomb, but if the existence of Iran is threatened, we will have to change our nuclear doctrine.”
In August, Iran International reported that the Islamic Republic was advancing its secret nuclear program, bringing the mullahs closer to building atomic bombs.
Three independent sources in Iran told the London-based opposition media outlet that the regime was moving forward with its nuclear weapons program “by restructuring the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), retaining Mohammad Eslami as the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and resuming tests to produce nuclear bomb detonators.”
The Biden administration privately warned Tehran in June about its research and development activities, Axios reported on July 17, citing three Israeli and U.S. officials.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Jerusalem would do “everything” to stop Tehran from acquiring the bomb.
“I will do everything to prevent it from becoming a nuclear [power], I will use all the resources that can be used,” the premier said.
Earlier this month, Netanyahu told a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting that Israel would review its ability to act against Iran once the Trump administration takes over.
During his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Obama-era accord more commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, which he said did not sufficiently prevent a pathway to an Iranian bomb.
In October, Israeli airstrikes on Iran destroyed a secret nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, 19 miles southeast of Tehran, according to Axios. The clandestine site held sophisticated equipment used for testing explosives needed to detonate nuclear devices.
