Title: Iran’s Deputy FM: Diplomacy Remains Open, But Cairo Framework is Obsolete
In a comprehensive briefing with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in Tehran, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, outlined the Islamic Republic’s stance on the latest diplomatic developments, emphasizing a continued commitment to negotiated solutions while detailing the significant challenges introduced by recent Western actions.
A New, More Complex Landscape
Araghchi explained that the session was held to detail the “legal and political” repercussions of the decision by Western countries at the UN Security Council to trigger the snapback mechanism. He stated that this move has created new risks and complications, fundamentally altering the diplomatic playing field.
“The conditions created by the Western countries in the Security Council and the potential risks that may follow, including the legal and political problems that will arise as a result of this decision, were explained so that everyone is aware,” Araghchi was quoted as saying.
Iran’s Pursuit of a “Balanced Solution”
The senior diplomat reiterated Iran’s consistent efforts to achieve a “fair and balanced negotiated solution,” placing the blame for the current impasse on the other side. “It was the Western countries that, due to their excessive and unreasonable demands and requests, responded negatively to these efforts,” he asserted.
Addressing media reports about new U.S. preconditions for talks, Araghchi categorically denied their official receipt. “In recent months, we have only spoken with the Americans about the nuclear issue, and of course, indirectly,” he clarified. He confirmed the exchange of messages through direct, indirect, and intermediary channels but stressed that “no issue other than the nuclear issue has ever been discussed.”
The End of the Cairo Agreement
A significant announcement pertained to Iran’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Araghchi declared that the “Cairo Agreement,” a framework for cooperation signed between Iran and the IAEA, is now obsolete.
“With the changes in the field that have taken place and the attack on our facilities, cooperation with the Agency could not continue as in the past,” Araghchi stated, referring to the earlier military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. “Due to security threats and existing safety concerns, it was certainly necessary to define a new framework for cooperation.”
While noting that the IAEA had agreed to the need for a new framework, leading to the Cairo Agreement, Araghchi said, “However, now the Cairo Agreement can no longer be the basis of our cooperation with the Agency… From my point of view, the Cairo Agreement is no longer effective for the current situation.”
A Justification for Snapback? “None Exists”
Araghchi robustly defended Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and its diplomatic outreach. “To prove the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and show the good faith of the Islamic Republic in reaching a negotiated and agreed solution that secures Iran’s interests and simultaneously builds trust, Iran has in fact traveled every path it should have,” he said.
He listed Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA, diplomatic talks, and the presentation of “constructive, fair, and completely balanced proposals.” He concluded that Western countries now have “no excuse” to accuse Iran of avoiding talks or non-cooperation. “Similarly, there is no justified reason for the implementation of snapback, just as in the past there was no justification for a military attack on Iran.”
Firm on Rights, Open to Solutions
Reaffirming Iran’s core position, the Deputy Foreign Minister stated, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has in practice shown and proved that it does not seek to increase tension or conflict, does not seek nuclear weapons, but merely wants to exercise and maintain its legitimate rights. Iran will not back down from its rights, but at the same time, it is prepared for any solution that can build trust.”
He pointed to the widespread international condemnation of the previous military attack on Iran as evidence of Iran’s standing as a “wise and reasonable actor in the field of international relations.”
A Diminished Role for the E3
Looking forward, Araghchi expressed a belief that the three European parties to the JCPOA (E3) have significantly weakened their own standing. “The three European countries have certainly diminished their role and have almost destroyed the justification for negotiations with themselves,” he said.
He argued that just as military attack proved to be no solution, the snapback mechanism would similarly fail, serving only to complicate the negotiation process. “Diplomacy never ends; diplomacy always exists, but how, with which parties, and under what conditions it is conducted is a matter of debate,” Araghchi stated, predicting that the E3 would have a “much smaller role than in the past” in any future negotiated solution.
