Germany Signals Growing Impatience with Iran

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Reuters file photo
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Reuters file photo
TT

Germany Signals Growing Impatience with Iran

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Reuters file photo
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. Reuters file photo

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has signaled growing impatience with Iran, saying that a revival of the 2015 nuclear accord with world powers won't be possible “forever.”

“I am seeing with growing unease that Iran is delaying the resumption of the Vienna nuclear talks on the one hand, and on the other hand it is simultaneously moving further and further away from core elements of the agreement,” news weekly Der Spiegel quoted Maas as saying.

The countries that remain parties to the agreement — Russia, China, Germany, France, Britain and Iran — have been trying during six rounds of talks in Vienna to resolve how the United States can rejoin and how Tehran can return to compliance.

Former US president Donald Trump pulled out of the accord - known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - in 2018. But successor Joe Biden has said Washington wants to return.

The last round of talks ended in Vienna on June 20. No date has been set for a new meeting.

Since the US pulled out, Iran has gradually been violating the deal's restrictions to put pressures on the remaining parties to come up with economic incentives to offset crippling American sanctions.

“We want a return to the JCPOA and are firmly convinced that it is in all sides' interest,” Maas told Der Spiegel. “But it is also clear that this option will not be open to us forever."



Repatriation Flights Start for Israelis Stranded in Cyprus 

Passengers from the Crown Iris a cruise ship board a bus, at the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, June 18, 2025. (Reuters)
Passengers from the Crown Iris a cruise ship board a bus, at the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, June 18, 2025. (Reuters)
TT

Repatriation Flights Start for Israelis Stranded in Cyprus 

Passengers from the Crown Iris a cruise ship board a bus, at the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, June 18, 2025. (Reuters)
Passengers from the Crown Iris a cruise ship board a bus, at the port of Larnaca, Cyprus, June 18, 2025. (Reuters)

Flights took off for Israel on Wednesday from Cyprus, airport sources and web flight tracking sites showed, ferrying home Israelis stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran.

Israel's airspace has been closed since the two countries began trading attacks on Friday, stranding tens of thousands whose flights to Tel Aviv were cancelled.

Israel announced special flights for the repatriation of its nationals on Tuesday.

One flight operated by Arkia left Cyprus's Larnaca airport at 07:25 a.m. (0425 GMT) for Tel Aviv. Nine more were expected to depart Wednesday for Haifa, and four for Tel Aviv, carrying about 1,000 people, sources in airport operator Hermes said.

Israel's Transportation Ministry has said as many as 150,000 Israelis are abroad, with about a third trying to get home.

Large numbers have converged on Cyprus, the European Union member nation closest to Israel. Earlier on Wednesday, a cruise ship arrived in Cyprus carrying 1,500 participants in a Jewish heritage program who had left Israel on Tuesday.