Iran Will Respond to EU’s Nuclear Text by Midnight on Monday, Says Foreign Minister

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian listens to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian listens to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP)
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Iran Will Respond to EU’s Nuclear Text by Midnight on Monday, Says Foreign Minister

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian listens to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian listens to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (AP)

Iran will respond to the European Union's "final" text by midnight on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said, calling on the United States to show flexibility to resolve three remaining issues to save a 2015 nuclear pact.

"We do not want to reach a deal that after 40 days, two months or three months fails to be materialized on the ground .... we have told them that our red lines should be respected," he said.

"Specifically, there are three issues .... If these three issues are resolved, we can reach an agreement. But failure to revive the pact, would not be end of the world."

Amirabdollahian said the coming days were very important.

"We will need more talks if Washington does not show flexibility for resolving the remaining issues ... Like Washington, we have our own plan B if the talks fail," he said.

The EU, as coordinator of Iran's nuclear talks with world powers, said last week it had put forward a "final" text following four days of indirect talks between US and Iranian officials in Vienna.

Washington has said it is ready to quickly reach an agreement to restore the deal on the basis of the EU proposals.

Iranian officials said last week that they would convey their "additional views and considerations" to the EU.



Spain Says Social Media Platforms Such as Musk's X Must be Neutral

'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
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Spain Says Social Media Platforms Such as Musk's X Must be Neutral

'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

Social media platforms should be neutral and not interfere in other nations' political affairs, Spain's government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Pilar Alegria was answering a question about the high-profile spat between billionaire Elon Musk, who owns the social messaging platform X, and European leaders such as Britain's Keir Starmer and France's Emmanuel Macron, according to Reuters.

"We believe that these platforms must always act with absolute neutrality and above all, without interfering," she told a news conference.

A European Commission spokesperson said on Monday that while Musk was free to express his views on European politics, X must adhere to rules in the EU's Digital Services Act, under which large online platforms have to analyse and mitigate potential risks for electoral processes and civic discourse.