EU Needs to Decide on Possible Iran Sanctions, Rubio Says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on upon his arrival at the Quai d'Orsay, France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart in Paris, France April 17, 2025. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on upon his arrival at the Quai d'Orsay, France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart in Paris, France April 17, 2025. (Reuters)
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EU Needs to Decide on Possible Iran Sanctions, Rubio Says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on upon his arrival at the Quai d'Orsay, France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart in Paris, France April 17, 2025. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on upon his arrival at the Quai d'Orsay, France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before a bilateral meeting with his French counterpart in Paris, France April 17, 2025. (Reuters)

Europe needs to decide if it is willing to reimpose sanctions on Iran when it becomes clear it is close to developing a nuclear weapon, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.

"The Europeans have a decision to make, because I believe we should all anticipate that they're about to get a report from the IAEA that says not just Iran is out of compliance, but Iran is dangerously close to a weapon, closer than they've ever been," Rubio said in Paris after meeting with European leaders.

Rubio said the US administration is looking for a peaceful solution with Iran, but will never tolerate the country developing a nuclear weapon.

"It has to be something that not just prevents Iran from having a nuclear weapon now," he said about a possible agreement.

"But in the future as well, not just for ten years with some sort of sunset provision or the like."



Three Iranians in UK Court Accused of Assisting Tehran Spy Service

A general view of London, Britain, March 23, 2022. (Reuters)
A general view of London, Britain, March 23, 2022. (Reuters)
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Three Iranians in UK Court Accused of Assisting Tehran Spy Service

A general view of London, Britain, March 23, 2022. (Reuters)
A general view of London, Britain, March 23, 2022. (Reuters)

Three Iranian men appeared in court in London on Friday accused of assisting Iran's foreign intelligence service and plotting violence against journalists working for a British-based broadcaster critical of Tehran.

The three men - Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55, - have been charged with offences under Britain's National Security Act, brought in to give the authorities new powers to target threats from foreign states.

They are accused of "engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service" between August 2024 and February this year, and police have said that it related to Iran.

Sepahvand is also charged with carrying out surveillance in preparation to commit serious violence against a person, while Manesh and Noori were charged with surveillance with the intention that serious violent acts would be committed by others.

The men appeared by videolink on Friday for a brief hearing at London's Old Bailey court during which their lawyers said all intended to plead not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors told a hearing last month that the allegations involved the targeting of journalists based in Britain connected with Iran International, a broadcaster critical of the Iranian government. They were remanded in custody until a formal plea hearing on September 26 and they are due to go on trial in October next year.

The suspects were arrested last month on the same day counter-terrorism police detained five other men, including four Iranians, as part of a separate operation. Those men were later released without charge.