Iran Explores Japanese Mediation for Nuclear Talks Resumption

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks to the press in New York. (Iranian Presidency)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks to the press in New York. (Iranian Presidency)
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Iran Explores Japanese Mediation for Nuclear Talks Resumption

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks to the press in New York. (Iranian Presidency)
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks to the press in New York. (Iranian Presidency)

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that Japan has proposed an initiative to revive a stalled nuclear deal struck in 2015 with Iran and six major powers, including the US.

In a statement to the Japanese news agency Kyodo, Abdollahian stated that Japan's proposal aligns with "Iran's interests" and would be viewed positively by Tehran.

He stated, "We support the constructive role of Japan in reviving the nuclear deal," accusing the US, UK, France, and Germany of having "excessive demands" that delayed the talk's progress.

The FM also attributed the delay to "interference" in Iran's domestic issues.

Upon his return from New York on Tuesday, Abdollahian had earlier informed Iran's official news agency, IRNA, that Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq is attempting to revive the nuclear agreement.

However, he emphasized that Oman's proposed initiative is a means to expedite and bring all parties back to their commitments without constituting a new plan or text.

The FM was in New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, Hossein Salami, warned against trusting "enemies," stating that the enemies had flawed perceptions and miscalculations, leading to their defeat.

Salami took pride in severing diplomatic ties with the US and detaining diplomats for 444 days following the seizure of the US embassy by radical students in 1979.

Meanwhile, the US refused a request by Iran's Foreign Minister to visit Washington last week, pointing to concerns about Tehran's record, including past detentions of US citizens.

During a daily press briefing on Monday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Abdollahian sought to travel to visit Iran's consular interest section following the General Assembly.

"They did make that request, and it was denied by the State Department," Miller told reporters.

"We do have an obligation to allow Iranian officials and other officials of foreign governments to travel to New York for UN business. But we do not have an obligation to allow them to travel to Washington DC," he said.

"Given Iran's wrongful detention of US citizens, given Iran's state sponsorship of terrorism, we did not believe it was appropriate or necessary in this instance to grant that request."

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Ministry denied reports that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has given the green light for negotiators to carry out direct nuclear talks with the US.

A website affiliated with Iranian expatriate pressure groups and linked to the previous government led by Hassan Rouhani first reported the news.

The Ministry declared that the fabricated news holds no value, indicating such reports aim at political propaganda.

‘Sunset clause’

Iranian officials issued multiple statements about their readiness to engage in a new round of nuclear negotiations as the date of the "sunset clause" approaches nearing Oct. 18.

Months of diplomacy between Washington and Tehran resulted in a prisoner exchange deal that included releasing $6 billion of frozen Iranian assets.

Western media outlets reported unofficial arrangements to de-escalate tensions between both sides, which included a halt to attacks on US forces in the region, slowing Iran's uranium enrichment close to weapons-grade levels, and halting the shipment of drones to Russia.

Indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran began in April 2021 to restore the nuclear agreement, but the talks stalled for five months during Iran's presidential elections.

Iran engaged in a new round of negotiations after Ebrahim Raisi won, but these talks broke down in March 2022, weeks after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.

The European Union's foreign policy chief proposed a draft for concluding the talks in September last year, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

Among Tehran's persistent demands is the closure of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) investigation into two covert sites.

The UN agency continues to press Iran for credible explanations regarding these activities.

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi recently criticized the lack of progress in reaching an understanding with Iran regarding those sites.

The head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami, called for the swift closure of the investigation, accusing the IAEA of "politicizing" its assessment.

Eslami and Grossi later held consultations on outstanding issues between the two parties, particularly following Tehran's recent decision to revoke the permits of IAEA inspectors.

Raisi attributed the revocation to "security considerations" concerning three inspectors, denying that his country's move was an attempt to expel international inspectors.

Iran's action seemed to respond to the European countries' decision to extend sanctions on Iran's missile and drone programs, which were set to expire next month under the nuclear agreement.

On Sept. 19, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on entities in Iran, Russia, Türkiye, and China due to Iran's drone program.

Treasury Under Secretary of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson stated that Iran's continued, deliberate proliferation of its UAVs enables Russia, Tehran’s proxies in the Middle East, and other destabilizing actors to undermine global stability.

On Monday, the Biden administration imposed new trade restrictions on 11 Chinese and five Russian companies, accusing some of supplying components to make drones for Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

In Tehran, the IRGC commander of the missile unit, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, stated that many countries are adopting Iran's approach to drones.

He added that his country has "surpassed regional powers" in drone production, according to the Tasnim News Agency.



South Korea’s New President Lee Vows to Revive Democracy from ‘Near Demise’

South Korean new President Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hea Kyung leave after attending the presidential inauguration at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)
South Korean new President Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hea Kyung leave after attending the presidential inauguration at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)
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South Korea’s New President Lee Vows to Revive Democracy from ‘Near Demise’

South Korean new President Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hea Kyung leave after attending the presidential inauguration at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)
South Korean new President Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hea Kyung leave after attending the presidential inauguration at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)

South Korea's new liberal President Lee Jae-myung pledged on Wednesday to raise the country from the near destruction caused by a martial law attempt and revive an economy besieged by global protectionism that is threatening its very existence.

Lee's decisive victory in Tuesday's snap election stands to usher in a sea change in Asia's fourth-largest economy, after backlash against a botched attempt at military rule brought down Yoon Suk Yeol just three years into his troubled presidency.

He faces what could be the most daunting set of challenges for a South Korean leader in nearly three decades, ranging from healing a country deeply scarred by the martial law attempt to tackling unpredictable protectionist moves by the United States, a major trading partner and a security ally.

"A Lee Jae-myung government will be a pragmatic pro-market government," he said after taking the oath of office at parliament, a location where six months ago he jumped over the perimeter wall to enter the chamber and avoid martial law troops barricading it to vote down the decree.

He promised deregulation to spur innovation and growth in business and pledged to reopen dialogue with North Korea while maintaining a strong security alliance with the United States and bringing balance to diplomacy.

"It is better to win without fighting than to win in a fight, and peace with no need to fight is the best security," he said on the country's often violent ties with rival North Korea.

Lee was officially confirmed earlier as president by the National Election Commission and immediately assumed the powers of the presidency and commander in chief, speaking with the top military leader to receive a report on defense posture.

With all the ballots counted, Lee won 49.42% of the nearly 35 million votes cast while conservative rival Kim Moon-soo took 41.15% in the polls that brought the highest turnout for a presidential election since 1997, official data showed.

Lee has said he would address urgent economic challenges facing the country on the first day in office with a focus on the cost-of-living concerns affecting middle and low-income families and the struggles of small business owners.

He also faces a deadline set by the White House on negotiating import duties that Washington has blamed for a large trade imbalance between the countries.

South Korean stocks rallied on Wednesday morning, with the benchmark KOSPI rising more than 2% to its highest in 10 months, with the financial sector leading the gain on expectations of market reform by Lee. Renewable energy stocks also rose. Lee has pledged a shift to a greener energy mix.

'DEAL WITH TRUMP'

The government under a caretaker acting president had made little progress in trying to assuage crushing tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump that would hit some of the country's major industries, including autos and steel.

"President Lee will find himself with little to no time to spare before tackling the most important task of his early presidency: reaching a deal with Trump," the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Lee on his election win and said the countries "share an ironclad commitment" to their alliance grounded on shared values, and deep economic ties.

He also said that the countries were "modernizing the Alliance to meet the demands of today’s strategic environment and address new economic challenges."

The White House said the election of Lee was "free and fair" but the United States remained concerned and opposed to Chinese interference and influence in democracies around the world, according to a White House official.

Lee has expressed more conciliatory plans for ties with China and North Korea, in particular singling out the importance of China as a major trading partner while indicating reluctance to take a firm stance on security tensions in the Taiwan strait.

Still, Lee has pledged to continue Yoon's engagement with Japan and said the alliance with the United States is the backbone of South Korea's global diplomacy.