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Nuclear: Paris and Moscow call on Iran to be responsible

Paris and Moscow called on Tehran on Thursday for responsibility in the Iranian nuclear issue, the day after the start of its production of uranium metal, the latest violation to date of its commitments to the 2015 agreement. “In order to preserve space policy for the search for a negotiated solution, we call on Iran not to take any new measures that would further worsen the nuclear situation, ”the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“If we understand the logic and the reasons behind Iran, it is necessary to show restraint and a responsible approach,” Russian Deputy Minister Ria Novosti told the news agency. Foreign Affairs, Sergei Riabkov. The installation of the Biden administration in the United States gives hope for possible diplomatic advances on the subject after the policy of “maximum pressure” exercised by his predecessor.

“This does not encourage optimism”

But Tehran and Washington both call on the other side to take the first step towards a real resumption of dialogue. “France welcomes the confirmed will of the new American administration to return to a diplomatic approach to the Iranian nuclear issue, with a view to returning to the JCPoA”, the name given to the 2015 Vienna agreement, specified the Quai d’Orsay.

Sergei Riabkov, for his part, called on the United States to “lift the sanctions taken against Tehran and not drag things out”. On Wednesday evening, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that it had “verified on February 8 3.6 grams of uranium metal in the Isfahan plant”.

If this is not a surprise – Iran had let it be known in mid-January that it was moving in this direction – the subject is sensitive, because uranium metal can be used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons. The Islamic Republic has always denied wanting to acquire the bomb, even if the IAEA had established the opposite in 2011. But Paris and Moscow have expressed their concerns. “This does not encourage optimism,” said the Russian minister, while France considered the situation worrying because of “the accumulation of violations by Iran of the Vienna agreement”.


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