BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 13. Iran has made it clear that it will not engage in negotiations under pressure, said the country’s Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, Trend reports.
Speaking during a closed session of the UN Security Council, Iravani emphasized that Iran will not accept any dictates, nor will it submit to threats.
He stated that attempts to force Iran into an unfair agreement will not succeed, stressing that diplomacy should be based on mutual respect.
Iravani added that Iran would continue to defend its rights, citing ongoing negotiations with three European countries (the United Kingdom, France, and Germany) over its nuclear program. Additionally, on March 14, a meeting will take place in Beijing involving the foreign ministers' deputies of Iran, Russia, and China regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
The permanent representative of Iran to the UN further stated that the responsibility for the current situation lies with those who violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231. He insisted that any steps forward should begin with accountability and that those who halted their commitments and imposed sanctions contrary to Resolution 2231 must be held responsible.
To note, the UN Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Iran's increase in highly enriched uranium on March 12. France, Greece, Panama, South Korea, the UK, and the US have requested this meeting.
On March 3, Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the IAEA, mentioned during the IAEA Board of Governors' meeting that Iran has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity by 93 kilograms, from 182 kilograms to 275 kilograms compared to the previous quarter. Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state to enrich uranium to this level, raising significant concerns.
By the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to pursue a strategic plan in the nuclear sector to counter the sanctions, leading to a suspension of additional steps and the Additional Protocol as per the nuclear agreement.
Consequently, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) faced a reduction in monitoring capabilities by 20–30 percent.
Iran has officially affirmed that its strategy is not to pursue the development of an atomic bomb and that it does not support the production of weapons of mass destruction.
On November 29, 2024, the first round of dialogue between the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and three European countries (UK, France, and Germany) was held in Geneva. The second round of this dialogue was continued on January 13-14 in Geneva, where negotiations were held mainly on Iran's nuclear program.
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