On Thursday night, Araqchi told Iran’s national television that activating snapback would undoubtedly push the non-proliferation regime into a crisis, creating a new crisis that could affect many things.
Referring to the indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the US, Araqchi said Europeans have no particular role in these negotiations.
According to Araqchi, Europeans could activate the dispute resolution mechanism in the nuclear deal (JCPOA) by October this year in a way that reinstates past UN resolutions against Iran. This has led them to believe they can insert themselves into the game using this tool, but this is not an instrument in Europe’s hands at all.
Iran’s Foreign Minister stated that the more Europe threatens to use snapback, the more it isolates itself from Iran’s nuclear issue. Europe must abandon its confrontational approach.
Arqhchi added: “If Europeans want to negotiate with a good-faith approach, we have no problem, but if they intend to use snapback as a sword hanging over our heads to pressure us into something, they will see the consequences.”
Referring to the proposal of forming an enrichment consortium with Iran’s participation, Araqchi said this plan is not bad, and Iran is ready to participate, but it is not a substitute for Iran’s domestic enrichment.
Araqchi stated: “Enrichment is not something we can compromise on, and we have made this clear many times. We tell the US as well that Iran will not give up enrichment. ‘Our enrichment cannot be shut down.’ Enrichment on Iranian soil is a fundamental principle.”
He reiterated: “Nuclear weapons have no place in Iran’s security doctrine. The argument that Iran should not enrich because it might one day pursue weapons is completely disproven by our track record—we have demonstrated our goodwill. If we had intended to build nuclear weapons, we would have done so by now. We have the capability, but not the will, because of the Supreme Leader’s fatwa prohibiting such weapons.”
