On August 26, local time, the negotiations between the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Iran in Geneva, Switzerland on the Iran nuclear issue failed to make breakthrough progress. The core controversy at the negotiations is whether to postpone the time for re-imposing UN sanctions on Iran in order to gain more space for diplomatic resolution of the nuclear issue. However, if Iran continues to refuse the international community’s comprehensive verification of its nuclear facilities, it will face the recovery of UN sanctions within weeks. At the same time, the Iranian government is planning to take countermeasures against European countries, which has further tension in the regional situation. As the deadline for the recovery of sanctions approaches, the international community is cautious about whether a new round of escalation of conflict can be avoided.
Negotiations ended in vain, Europe issued an ultimatum
On August 26, European and Iranian diplomats met in Geneva to try to restart negotiations on plans to restrict uranium enrichment to avoid the reinstatement of the sanctions suspended under the framework of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. The agreement will officially expire on October 18, and European signatories have made it clear that sanctions against Iran will be restored unless substantial progress has been made in negotiations. Time is tight, and Europe last month proposed a compromise plan that requires Iran to make concessions in three key areas: first, serious negotiations must be reopened on the status of uranium stockpiles and nuclear program; second, the source and use of its 400 kilograms of close to weapons-grade uranium reserves must be clarified; and finally, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors are allowed to return to Iran’s nuclear facilities to ensure that they comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the 2015 agreement.
Currently, the final deadline for negotiations is set at the end of August. If an agreement is not reached before this, Iran will face a full recovery of UN sanctions. This time point is set in the United Nations Security Council resolution 2231, which provides a legal basis for the 2015 agreement and stipulates that sanctions should be notified 30 days in advance. Ali Waez, head of the Iran project at the International Crisis Organization, pointed out that Europe hopes to complete the process by October, because Russia will take over the rotating presidency of the Security Council, and Russia, as an ally of Iran, may use its authority to delay or modify the agenda, making the recovery of sanctions even more complicated. This 30-day window also provides the possibility for both parties to reach a compromise at the last minute.
