Biden Unwilling to ‘Make Concessions’ on Iran

US President Joe Biden. Reuters
US President Joe Biden. Reuters
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Biden Unwilling to ‘Make Concessions’ on Iran

US President Joe Biden. Reuters
US President Joe Biden. Reuters

US President Joe Biden has stressed that “it’s premature” to know whether the indirect talks between the US and Iran will result in mutual compliance with the nuclear deal. However, he stressed that he has no intention of “making concessions.”

“We do not support and do not think it’s at all helpful that Iran is saying it’s going to move to enrich to 60 percent,” Biden said during a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga in Washington.

He added, “it is contrary to the agreement.”

“We are, though, nonetheless pleased that Iran has continued to agree to engage in discussions — in direct discussions with us and with our — our partners on how we move forward and what is needed to allow us to move back into the JOPCA, and so that we are a part of it again — that we should have never gotten out of, in my view — without us making concessions that I’m — we’re just not willing to make.”

“And so the discussions are underway. I think it’s premature to make a judgement as to what the outcome will be, but we’re still talking,” he stressed.

American officials hinted that the new US Envoy to Iran, Robert Malley, expressed readiness to lift 700 sanctions of 1,500 sanctions imposed by the former US administration.

However, these leaks weren’t confirmed by officials responsible for negotiations with Iran.

Biden sees that Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign has failed.

“We take seriously Iran’s provocative announcement of its intention to begin enriching uranium to 60 percent, which the P5+1 should be unified in rejecting,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

She added that “this step both calls into question Iran’s seriousness with regard to the nuclear talks and underscores the imperative of returning to mutual compliance.”

Commenting on the Vienna Talks, Psaki reiterated that they are going “to be difficult, to be long, we still feel that they are a step forward in moving towards — you know, leading with diplomacy to find a path forward."



Belgium Says Will Take Part in Gaza Aid-drop Plan

Palestinians gather as they seek aid that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians gather as they seek aid that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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Belgium Says Will Take Part in Gaza Aid-drop Plan

Palestinians gather as they seek aid that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians gather as they seek aid that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

Belgium will take part in a multi-country operation coordinated by Jordan to airdrop aid to Gaza, the government announced Wednesday, as UN agencies warn the Palestinian territory is slipping into famine.

A Belgian plane carrying medical supplies and food worth some 600,000 euros ($690,000) will fly "soon" to Jordan, and will remain on stand-by to conduct air drops in coordination with Amman, the defense and foreign ministries said in a statement, AFP reported.

Belgium joins a string of Western nations including France, Spain and Britain looking to send aid into Gaza by air as fears mount of mass starvation in the territory.

"These airdrops are a first step, but they can in no way be a cover for the urgent need to facilitate access by land," Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot said.

"I will continue to plead with the Israeli authorities to allow these deliveries to enter Gaza by road as quickly as possible."

The World Food Program, UNICEF and the Food and Agriculture Organisation warned Tuesday that time was running out and that Gaza was "on the brink of a full-scale famine".

Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza on March 2 after ceasefire talks broke down. In late May, it began allowing a small trickle of aid to resume, amid rising fears of a wave of starvation.

Then on Sunday, faced with mounting international criticism, Israel began a series of "tactical pauses" while allowing aid trucks to pass through two border crossings into Gaza, and Jordanian and Emirati planes to conduct airdrops.

Deliveries have been ramped up, but the experts advising the UN said this effort would not prove enough unless aid agencies were granted "immediate, unimpeded" humanitarian access.