Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqji’s recent statements, in which Tehran reiterated the negotiation of its missile program or the cessation of uranium enrichment, raises questions about the chances of reaching understandings with the European side, especially in light of an unprecedented military escalation between Iran and Israel.
In the aftermath of the Geneva meeting with the European Troika foreign ministers, Araqji said that Iran will not fall into any negotiating path as long as the Israeli attacks are continuing, again adhering to what he described “legitimate rights in self -defense”, and stressing that any possible negotiation depends on stopping the aggression and holding Israel accountable.
On Friday, the tour of Iran and the foreign ministers of European Troika (France, Germany and Britain) concluded in Geneva today, Friday, with the participation of the European Union’s foreign policy official, in an atmosphere charged with the continuous military escalation between Iran and Israel.
In this context, the researcher Fatima al -Samadi believes that Tehran does not see in the demands of the Europeans only an attempt to impose surrender under a diplomatic cover, adding that “what Iran rejected before the attacks will not accept it after it”, and that fertilization inside Iranian territory represents a “red line” that cannot be overcome in any next negotiation.
Al -Smadi indicates in an intervention on Al -Jazeera screen that Iran does not look at its nuclear and missile program as negotiating files, but rather as a sovereign pillar that cannot be prejudiced. She pointed out that the American statements that talk about direct or indirect talks are not changed in the equation, as long as Washington has not shown any flexibility in its approach.
An inappropriate envelope
Al -Smadi explains that Iran does not refuse to negotiate in principle, but it sees that the current circumstance is inappropriate, as it insists on stopping the attacks before any discussion, which was clearly confirmed by Araqji in his statements from Geneva, when he said that his country will not negotiate anyone under the bombing, and will not accept to return to the table in light of the attacks.
As for the missile program, the researcher confirms that the Iranian position is more strict after the war, noting that “the Israeli attack increased Iran’s adherence to its missile arsenal, as it is a vital component of deterrence”, and she believes that any offering to remove this program has become categorically rejected.
This comes at a time when the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain, along with the European Union, announced “a renewed ancient concern about the expansion of the Iranian nuclear program”, noting the absence of what they described as the “reliable civil goal” of this program, and the virtue of Tehran to steps to reduce the escalation.
CNN quotes an Iranian source as saying that the Geneva talks started with great tension and then turned into a more positive atmosphere, but the Iranians did not agree to stop the enrichment, considering this a “clear red line”, while the two sides exchanged accusations about Washington’s withdrawal from the nuclear agreement.
For his part, the Israeli expert, Dr. Muhannad Mustafa, believes that Israel is the only party that does not already want any negotiation, and is afraid that the talks will lead to a shift in international discourse calling for a diplomatic solution, which is what Tel Aviv considers a threat to its existing military path.
Existential
In his interview with Al -Jazeera, he adds that Israel is marketing the war against Iran as an existential war against a “new Nazi regime”, and Benjamin Netanyahu is presenting himself as Churchill the era, warning of an Iranian nuclear threat threatening the world. But the Europeans sitting at one table with Tehran undermines this narrative and weakens its international influence.
Mustafa believes that Israel is afraid that these discussions will result in a decline in the political and media momentum supporting it, especially if international signs calling for a rapid calm appear, while it only seeks to a specific goal: renewing economic sanctions on Iran without engaging in any political solution.
Israeli media report that Tel Aviv is putting the “Fordo” nuclear facility on the list of military targets, and Channel 12 has announced the willingness of the Israeli army to strike it soon, with confirmation of waiting for an American decision to participate, without excluding the implementation of the operation individually.
Mustafa notes that the Israeli betting is based on weakening Iran after the war, not to overthrow the regime, explaining that Tel Aviv believes that economic sanctions are the most effective way to prolong Iranian exhaustion, which is what it seeks by pressuring the Europeans in the ongoing talks.
Since the dawn of Friday, June 13, Israel has launched unprecedented attacks on Iran, which included the bombing of nuclear facilities, missile bases, and the assassination of military leaders and nuclear scientists.
The number of Iranian victims reached 224 dead and 1277 wounded, most of them civilians, and for its part, Tehran received ballistic missiles and drones that left about 25 Israeli dead and more than 2,500 wounded, according to the statement of the Israeli Ministry of Health.
