Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said he believed it was no longer possible to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and that attempting to do so would not serve Iran's interests. Talks with the US were impossible unless Washington changed its pressure policy, he added.
Mr Araghchi, who was among Iran's negotiators who agreed on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), widely known as the nuclear deal, said the agreement could not be revived in the same format because of advancements in Tehran's nuclear development and increased US sanctions.
“The JCPOA, in its current form, cannot be revived in my opinion,” he said, according to Iranian state media. “[Reviving it] is not in our interest either, because our nuclear status has by far advanced and we can no more return to the JCPOA conditions. So have the sanctions by the other party. They have set many new sanctions and the conditions have changed.”
He added that the US, under President Donald Trump, chose to withdraw from the deal in 2018 and efforts to resurrect the JCPOA would not be a realistic thing”. However, he suggested the deal could serve as a base for a potential agreement in the future, but added that talks could only take place under the right conditions.
“In circumstances where there is ‘maximum pressure,’ no one in their sound mind would enter into direct talks,” Mr Araghchi said, referring to Mr Trump's policy aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear capabilities by increasing sanctions. "You can no more enter into talks with America, unless some things change."
Mr Trump said earlier this month that he had sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that "there are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal". Mr Khamenei rejected the US offer for talks as a "deception", saying negotiations would "tighten the knot of sanctions and increase pressure on Iran".
Mr Araghchi on Thursday said Tehran would soon reply to the letter's "threats and opportunities".
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said last month that time is running out for a deal to rein in Iran's nuclear programme, as Tehran continues to accelerate its enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels. Iran has repeatedly stated its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
Mr Trump's envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff on Sunday said the US wanted to negotiate with Iran. "We don't need to solve everything militarily," he told Fox News.
"Our signal to Iran is let's sit down and see if we can, through dialogue, through diplomacy, get to the right place. If we can, we are prepared to do that. And if we can't, the alternative is not a great alternative."
Speaking separately on CBS News, the White House's National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, said the US sought the "full dismantlement" of Iran's nuclear programme. "Iran has to give up its programme in a way that the entire world can see," he said.
"As President Trump has said, this is coming to a head. All options are on the table and it is time for Iran to walk away completely from its desire to have a nuclear weapon."
Honeymoonish
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Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
More from Aya Iskandarani
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
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
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
57%20Seconds
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British Grand Prix free practice times in the third and final session at Silverstone on Saturday (top five):
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.063 (18 laps)
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.095 (14)
3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:28.137 (20)
4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:28.732 (15)
5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.480 (14)
