Iran Parliament Criticizes Blinken Plan on Nuclear Deal

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf speaks after being elected parliament speaker in Tehran on May 28, 2020 (AFP)
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf speaks after being elected parliament speaker in Tehran on May 28, 2020 (AFP)
TT
20

Iran Parliament Criticizes Blinken Plan on Nuclear Deal

Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf speaks after being elected parliament speaker in Tehran on May 28, 2020 (AFP)
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf speaks after being elected parliament speaker in Tehran on May 28, 2020 (AFP)

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Sunday described US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent remarks on Tehran as “disappointing.”

“If the US believes in the nuclear deal, it should display its commitment to it in practice instead of setting preconditions,” the Speaker said, addressing an open session of the parliament in Tehran.

Last week, Blinken said that President Joe Biden has been very clear in saying that if Iran comes back to compliance with obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, the United States would do the same thing.

However, Qalibaf said Tehran is waiting for the Biden government’s practical measures to lift sanctions rather than speaking of preconditions.

Iran and the new US administration have issuing statements on conditions demanding the other party to take the first step in returning to the nuclear deal, which Washington unilaterally withdrew from in 2018.

During a visit to the Fordow nuclear plant on January 28, Qalibaf said the country has produced 17 kilograms of 20 percent-enriched uranium within a month.

Referring to his visit to the site, the speaker said Sunday he was happy that the centrifuges are rotating once again.

“With the centrifuges now rotating with 20% uranium enrichment, the country’s foreign diplomacy has a full hand in any future negotiations,” he said.

In December, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said the country is in no hurry to see the United States return to the nuclear deal.

Last week, Blinken criticized Iran of being out of compliance on a number of fronts.

“And it would take some time, should it make the decision to do so, for it to come back into compliance and time for us then to assess whether it was meeting its obligations," the US Secretary of State told a news conference.



Russia Warns of Consequences for Striking Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
TT
20

Russia Warns of Consequences for Striking Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. (Reuters file)

Moscow warned against military action targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure following US President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the country if it fails to reach an agreement.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov criticized Trump’s threats of military force, warning that escalation would have catastrophic consequences for the entire region.

Russia opposes coercive solutions, aggression, and military strikes, Ryabkov said.

He condemned Washington’s threats against Iran as an attempt to impose its will on Tehran, cautioning that further escalation would only complicate the situation and require greater efforts in the future to contain the risks of a new conflict in the Middle East, where tensions are already at a peak.

Moscow has previously offered to mediate between Washington and Tehran. Analysts suggest Russia is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic leverage by positioning itself as a key player in resolving the nuclear standoff. Russian officials believe they can offer security guarantees to both sides, similar to those provided during the 2015 nuclear deal negotiations.

Moscow and Washington have reportedly discussed, through contacts in Saudi Arabia, the possibility of Russia facilitating dialogue on Iran. However, Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric has raised concerns in Moscow.

Ilya Vaskin, a researcher at the Center for the Study of the Middle East, the Caucasus, and Central Asia at HSE University, said issuing ultimatums is a hallmark of the Trump administration’s negotiating style. According to Vaskin, Washington is trying to pressure Iran into a swift agreement and secure a new nuclear deal on its own terms.

Lev Sokolchik, a senior researcher at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the HSE University, noted that Iran has made significant progress in its nuclear program and missile capabilities in recent years. He argued that Trump is trying to curb Iran’s military ambitions, which could threaten U. interests in the region.

Sokolchik warned that Iran could develop a nuclear weapon within months, a scenario that deeply concerns both the United States and Israel.