Iran says sanctions return due to Western refusal of diplomatic overtures

Iran’s government has accused Western powers of rejecting its proposal for high-level negotiations over nuclear issues and sanctions relief, despite Tehran’s readiness to engage in dialogue during the recent UN General Assembly session in New York.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said that President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration had made serious diplomatic efforts to avoid the reimposition of sanctions under the “snapback” mechanism, Caliber.Az reports, citing Irainian media.

“As regards the negotiations, it is natural that we only accept an agreement that secures our national interests,” Mohajerani stated. “However, since in their demands, I mean those of the Americans or Europeans, did not take into account our national interests, we did not agree to them."

She revealed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had reported Tehran’s readiness in New York to hold a meeting involving the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal (E3 – France, Germany, and the UK), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

“Iran announced in New York its readiness to hold a meeting with the participation of three European countries, the Agency, and Witkoff, but it was not accepted by them, therefore they did not attend the meetings,” Mohajerani said.

“At first, the issue was to have talks about the 60% uranium stockpiles in return for the snapback cancellation. The complete leaving aside of the snapback was Iran's demand, but the other side did not accept it. At first, they said it would be suspended for about 6 months. This was Mr. Witkoff's insistence," she explained.

Mohajerani also disclosed that, in a last-ditch effort to avoid sanctions, Iran proposed a 45-day delay in the snapback process, but that too was rejected.

“Even on the last night, a proposal for a 45-day postponement [of the snapback] was put forward by Iran, which was ultimately not accepted due to pressures from the Zionist lobby,” she said.

The spokeswoman emphasized that the Iranian diplomatic team had exhausted all avenues to prevent sanctions from returning.

"The Iranian people should know that the diplomatic apparatus did everything it could to either eliminate the snapback issue altogether or postpone it. However, the pressure of the Zionist lobby was evident in the decisions made in the United States and Europe. Despite the Europeans' own desire, they changed their decision and ultimately we witnessed the return of sanctions," Mohajerani concluded.

By Vafa Guliyeva