Iran Nuclear Agreement

Trump, Netanyahu meet to likely focus on energy, deregulation: White House

Heading to Washington on Tuesday to meet Trump, Netanyahu said he planned to convey Israel's position on US nuclear talks with Tehran during the meeting

Top Iran security official to travel to Oman for nuclear talks with US

A top Iranian security official will travel Tuesday to Oman, the Mideast sultanate now mediating talks between Tehran and the United States over the Islamic Republic' nuclear program aimed at halting a possible American strike. Ali Larijani, a former Iranian Parliament speaker who now serves as the secretary to the country's Supreme National Security Council, likely will carry his country's response to the initial round of indirect talks held last week in Muscat with the Americans. Larijani is due to meet with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, the chief intermediary in the talks, and Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. IRNA described the talks as "important," without elaborating on what message Larijani will carry. Iran and the U.S. held new nuclear talks last week in Oman. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking Sunday to diplomats at a summit in Tehran, signaled that Iran would stick to its position that it must be able to enrich urani

Crackdown on dissent after Iran protests widens to target reformist figures

Iranian security forces have launched a campaign to arrest figures within the country's reformist movement, reports said on Monday. That widens a crackdown on dissent after authorities earlier put down nationwide protests in violence that killed thousands and saw tens of thousands more detained. Detained Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has received another prison sentence of over seven years. It signals a widening effort to silence anyone opposed to the bloody suppression of unrest by Iran's theocracy as it faces new nuclear talks with the United States. President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned he could launch an attack on the country if no deal is reached. Media reports quoted officials within the reformist movement, which seeks to change Iran's theocracy from inside, as saying at least four of their members had been arrested. They include Azar Mansouri, the head of the Reformist Front, which represents multiple reformist factions, and former diplomat Mohsen ...

US, Iran hold indirect talks in Oman with top US military commander present

Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman on Friday, negotiations that appeared to return to the starting point on how to approach discussions over Tehran's nuclear programme. But for the first time, America brought its top military commander in the Middle East to the table. The presence of US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of the American military's Central Command, in his dress uniform at the talks in Muscat, the Omani capital, served as a reminder that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships were now off the coast of Iran in the Arabian Sea. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to reach a deal on the programme after earlier sending the carrier to the region over Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests that killed thousands and saw tens of thousands of others detained in the Islamic Republic. Gulf Arab nations fear an attack could spark a regional war that would drag them in as well. That threat

Satellite photos show activity at Iran nuclear sites amid protest crackdown

As tensions soar over Iran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests, satellite images show activity at two Iranian nuclear sites bombed last year by Israel and the United States that may be a sign of Tehran trying to obscure efforts to salvage any materials remaining there. The images from Planet Labs PBC show roofs have been built over two damaged buildings at the Isfahan and Natanz facilities, the first major activity noticeable by satellite at any of the country's stricken nuclear sites since Israel's 12-day war with Iran in June. Those coverings block satellites from seeing what's happening on the ground - right now the only way for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor the sites as Iran has prevented access. Iran has not publicly discussed the activity at the two sites. The IAEA, a watchdog agency of the United Nations, did not respond to requests for comment. US President Donald Trump repeatedly has demanded Iran negotiate a deal over its nuclear

'Locked and loaded': Trump warns Iran over killings during protests

President Donald Trump warned Iran against killing peaceful protesters, saying US is 'locked and loaded' as protests over inflation, jobs and a currency crash spread across several cities

Protests spread across Iran with demands to overthrow the govt: Here's why

A sharp fall in the rial, soaring prices and economic uncertainty have sparked protests across Iran, with demonstrators in several cities calling for regime change

Iran is no longer enriching uranium at any site in country: Minister

Iran's foreign minister on Sunday said that Tehran is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country. Answering a question from an Associated Press journalist visiting Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered the most direct response yet from the Iranian government regarding its nuclear program following Israel and the United States' bombing its enrichment sites in June. There is no undeclared nuclear enrichment in Iran. All of our facilities are under the safeguards and monitoring of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Araghchi said. There is no enrichment right now because our enrichment facilities have been attacked. Iran's government issued a three-day visa for the AP reporter to attend a summit alongside other journalists from major British outlets and other media.

UK sanctions 70 people, groups with links to Iran's nuclear programme

The UK has sanctioned 70 people and organisations with links to Iran's nuclear programme. The sanctions come amid concerns the Islamic Republic is developing weapons, the British Foreign Office said Tuesday. The penalties aimed at 62 groups and nine people follow a decision by Britain, France and Germany last month to trigger the snapback mechanism to automatically reimpose all United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. The three nations, known as the E3, said at the time that Iran had willfully departed from the 2015 nuclear deal that lifted the measures. Iran's nuclear programme has long been a serious concern to the international community, as a significant threat to global peace and security, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. This sanctions package sends a clear message to Tehran we will continue to take every step necessary to prevent Iran ever developing a nuclear weapon. The UN sanctions in effect before the deal included a conventional arms embargo,

All about Iran's nuclear programme as UN reimposes 'snapback' sanctions

United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme were reimposed on Sunday, putting Tehran under new pressure as tensions remain high in the wider Mideast over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. At the UN General Assembly this week in New York, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi tried a last-minute diplomatic push to stop the sanctions. However, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, boxed in their efforts by describing diplomacy with the United States as a sheer dead end. Meanwhile, efforts by China and Russia to halt the sanctions failed on Friday. A 30-day clock for the sanctions started when France, Germany and the United Kingdom on Aug. 28 declared Iran wasn't complying with its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Tehran has argued without success that the deal was voided by the United States' unilateral withdrawal from the accord in 2018 under President Donald Trump's first administration. Since then, Iran has severely ...

Iran weighs how to respond to reimposed UN sanctions over nuclear programme

Iran weighed Sunday how to respond to reimposed United Nations sanctions over its atomic program, with one lawmaker suggesting parliament would consider potentially withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. The sanctions again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran and penalise any development of Iran's ballistic missile programme, among other measures. It came via a mechanism known as snapback, included in Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, and comes as Iran's economy already is reeling. Iran's rial currency sits at a record low, increasing pressure on food prices and making daily life that much more challenging. That includes meat, rice and other staples of the Iranian dinner table. Meanwhile, people worry about a new round of fighting between Iran and Israel, as well as potentially the United States, as missile sites struck during the 12-day war in June now appear to be being rebuilt. Speaking to the Young Journalists Club, which is ...

Iran recalls envoys from France, Germany, UK ahead of UN nuclear sanctions

Iran on Saturday recalled its ambassadors to France, Germany and the United Kingdom ahead of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear programme being reimplemented. The three nations had pushed forward what diplomats refer to as snapback sanctions on Iran over it not cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency and not holding direct talks with the United States. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported the move, saying the ambassadors would be recalled for consultations. The sanctions are due to resume at 0000 GMT Sunday (8 pm Eastern Saturday). The measure will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran, and penalise any development of Iran's ballistic missile programme, among other measures.

Iran, IAEA sign Cairo agreement to resume nuclear inspections cooperation

Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency signed an agreement Tuesday in Cairo to pave the way for resuming cooperation, including on ways of relaunching inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. The announcement followed a meeting among Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi. No further details were provided about the agreement, but Grossi said at a joint news conference after the signing that it was technical in nature and highlighted the indispensable inspection work that needs to resume in Iran under the treaty of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. It's a step in the right direction," Grossi said. The Egyptian foreign ministry, meanwhile, said the agreement followed intensive diplomatic efforts by that county. And Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi noted Tuesday that the IAEA plays a major role in supporting nuclear non-proliferation provisions, while

UN nuclear watchdog official to visit Iran soon, no inspections planned

The deputy head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog will visit Iran in a bid to rekindle soured ties, the Islamic Republic's foreign minister said on Sunday. There will be no inspection of Iran's nuclear facilities during the visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) scheduled for Monday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. The visit would be the first following Israel and Iran's 12-day war in June, when some of its key nuclear facilities were struck. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on July 3 ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the IAEA, after American and Israeli airstrikes hit its most-important nuclear facilities. The decision will likely further limit inspectors' ability to track Tehran's programme that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. As long as we haven't reached a new framework for cooperation, there will be no cooperation, and the new framework will definitely be based on the law passed by the Parliament, Araghch

Iran, European powers hold 'frank' nuclear talks as UN sanctions loom

Delegations from the European Union and so-called E3 group of France, Britain and Germany met Iranian counterparts for about four hours at Iran's consulate for talks

Iran agrees to visit by team from UN nuclear watchdog in coming weeks

The delegation will come to Iran to discuss the modality, not to go to the (nuclear) sites, said Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister

Iran, European nations to hold first nuclear talks since Israel ceasefire

Iran said Monday it would hold renewed talks this week with European nations over the country's nuclear program, with discussions to be hosted by Turkey. The talks, to be held in Istanbul on Friday, will be the first since a ceasefire was reached after a 12-day war waged by Israel against Iran in June, which also saw the United States strike nuclear-related facilities in the Islamic Republic. A similar meeting had been held in the Turkish city in May. The discussions will bring Iranian officials together with officials from Britain, France and Germany known as the E3 nations and will include the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. The topic of the talks is clear, lifting sanctions and issues related to the peaceful nuclear programme of Iran," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly briefing. He said the meeting will be held at the deputy ministerial level. Under a 2015 deal designed to cap Iran's nuclear activities, Iran agreed to toug

Iran may hold nuclear talks with UK, France, Germany next week: Report

The three European countries, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to a 2015 nuclear deal reached with Iran - from which the United States withdrew in 2018

US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites: Report

The report said that US officials believe the attack on Iran's Fordow nuclear facility was successful in setting back enrichment capabilities there by as much as two years, citing two current official

Iran open to nuclear talks if US guarantees no further military strikes

Iran's foreign minister said Saturday that his country would accept a resumption of nuclear talks with the US if there were assurances of no more attacks against it, state media reported. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a speech to Tehran-based foreign diplomats that Iran has always been ready and will be ready in the future for talks about its nuclear programme, but, assurance should be provided that in case of a resumption of talks, the trend will not lead to war. Referring to the 12-day Israeli bombardment of Iran's nuclear and military sites, and the US strike on June 22, Araghchi said that if the US and others wish to resume talks with Iran, "first of all, there should be a firm guarantee that such actions will not be repeated. The attack on Iran's nuclear facilities has made it more difficult and complicated to achieve a solution based on negotiations. Following the strikes, Iran suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, which led to the departure of ...