The E3 nations – France, Germany and the UK – are pressing for a resolution against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for defying demands to rein in its nuclear programme, in a move that may pave the way for further sanctions on the Iranian regime despite the head of the UN watchdog on Wednesday welcoming "a concrete step" by Iran to cap its uranium stockpile.
The IAEA's director general Rafael Grossi on Wednesday said Iran had accepted his request to stop increasing its uranium stockpile to just shy of weapons grade as he pushed back on claims that this offer was conditional on the E3 resolution being scrapped.
"I think this is a concrete step in the right direction," he said of Iran's agreement to cap its uranium enrichment levels at 60 per cent, which an IAEA yardstick deems enough, if enriched further, to create four nuclear weapons. “This is the first time that they are saying, ‘OK, we stop.’”
Discussions between Mr Grossi and Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, took place last week when the Argentinian diplomat travelled to Tehran.
Yet pledges obtained during his visit have not changed the E3's assessment that Iran is consistently failing to comply with its obligations and they now feel compelled to take further action, a representative for Germany's Federal Foreign Office told The National.
"Iran is weakening the global system to which all NPT [non-proliferation of nuclear weapons] members are subject," they said. "The fact that Iran is consistently failing to comply with the obligations arising from the CSA obliges us to act, in order to protect and preserve the international non-proliferation system. As E3, we have therefore, jointly with the US, introduced a corresponding resolution at the upcoming IAEA board of governors meeting in which, among other things, Iran is strongly urged to take the appropriate steps."
In parallel, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in a phone call that it is imperative Iran co-operates fully with the IAEA. “The minister reiterated that Iran's nuclear escalation was very worrying and carried major risks of proliferation,” France's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Iran is on the back foot, given its heavy losses in the region, especially regarding Hezbollah
Ali Fathollah-Nejad,
political scientist
“France, with its German and British partners, is continuing its efforts to return to negotiations with Iran with a view to a diplomatic solution,” it added. Mr Barrot also asked that Iran adopt a “constructive attitude” towards ceasefire talks between Iran-backed Lebanese militia group Hezbollah and Israel. There are hopes a ceasefire deal may soon be reached as US envoy Amos Hochstein visits Beirut.
Tougher stance on Iran
The call between Paris and Tehran came one day after Mr Araghchi “strongly condemned” the decision by the E3 to put forward a resolution against Iran at the IAEA, calling for a comprehensive report into the country's nuclear activities. It is expected to be adopted at this week's quarterly meeting of the IAEA's 35-nation board of governors.
The resolution “contradicts the positive atmosphere created in the interactions between Iran and the agency and will only lead to a more complicated issue”, Mr Araghchi said.
The E3 are the only European nations that were party to a failed 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Confidential IAEA reports to member states said Iran had offered not to expand its stock of uranium enriched to up to 60 per cent purity, near the 90 per cent of weapons grade, and had made preparations to do that, according to news agency Reuters.
The aim is to pressure Iran to return to the negotiating table to agree on new restrictions on its nuclear activities since the 2015 deal fell apart. Although most of its terms have been broken, the deal's “termination day” on which those stipulations are lifted is next October.
The resolution pushed by the E3 also creates a path to launch the so-called snap-back mechanism which would reactivate international sanctions that had been suspended by the nuclear deal, said Behrooz Bayat, a former external expert at the IAEA and a senior fellow at a Berlin-based think tank, the Centre for Middle East and Global Order. The mechanism, which is a powerful tool in the hands of the E3, will also lift in October.
The resolution itself does not allow for the launch of snapback, but readies public opinion for tougher measures against Iran should it fail to comply with western demands.
“The West doesn't want to let the possibility of snapback from slipping out of its hands – it only has 11 months left of validity,” Dr Bayat told The National. “Legally, snapback can be activated any time but the West needs a political justification to do so by first demonstrating that Iran is not co-operating.”
The IAEA resolution pushed by the E3 could be escalated to the UN Security Council, but this is unlikely because it can be vetoed by Russia and China – similar resolutions adopted this year have not followed this path. The snapback cannot be blocked by a veto.
The resolution may also mean the IAEA must draft a comprehensive report on Iran's nuclear activities. The last time this was done was in 2011, and four years later, the nuclear deal followed, said Dr Bayat. “The West wants to know what is the real situation of [the] nuclear programme of Iran if they want to negotiate or enhance the sanctions, by for example, activating the snapback,” he said.
The increased pressure on Iran from the European countries comes after mounting concern over Iran's role in supporting Russia's war effort against Ukraine. Germany last month also ordered the closure of all general Iranian consulates in response to the execution of an Iranian-German dual citizen on terrorism charges.
Iran has signalled it is open to diplomatic negotiations over its nuclear programme ahead of the return of former president Donald Trump to the White House in January.
During his previous tenure (2017-2021), Mr Trump pushed for aggressive sanctions against Iran, causing it to lose $200 billion in oil revenue. He has vowed to renew his “maximum pressure” campaign when he returns to office.
Iran is all the more open to talks after Mr Trump's re-election, said Ali Fathollah-Nejad, the Centre for Middle East and Global Order's founder and director.
“Iran is on the back foot, given its heavy losses in the region, especially regarding Hezbollah,” Dr Fathollah-Nejad told The National. “It has to look for ways to strike a deal with the US and get some sanctions lifted in return for freezing or even rolling back of the nuclear programme.”
%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
More on Quran memorisation:
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
Match info
Arsenal 0
Manchester City 2
Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')
Results
3pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m, Winner: Lancienegaboulevard, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Fawzi Nass (trainer).
3.35pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner: Al Mukhtar Star, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
4.10pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Speedy Move, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar.
5.20pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Moqarrar, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy.
5.55pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Dolman, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
