United Nations, Dec 24 (AP) Iran and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to diplomacy during a tense meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, but stark differences between the Trump administration and Tehran over a renewed nuclear deal continue to block progress.
The sixth round of talks between Washington and Tehran was expected shortly after Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June, during which the United States joined Israel in bombing Iranian nuclear facilities. However, the negotiations were cancelled, and in September Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ruled out any direct nuclear talks with the US.
Despite this, Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Security Council that “Iran remains fully committed to principled diplomacy and genuine negotiations,” adding that it was now up to France, Britain and the United States “to reverse course and take concrete, credible steps to restore trust and confidence.”
He said Iran remains committed to the core principles of the 2015 nuclear agreement aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Under the deal, Iran had agreed to restrict its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of international sanctions.
The agreement was abandoned by President Donald Trump in 2018, when the US withdrew from the pact signed by Iran, the five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany.
In a rare public exchange, US Mission counsellor Morgan Ortagus, a Trump ally and former State Department spokesperson, said, “The United States remains available for formal talks with Iran but only if Tehran is prepared for direct and meaningful dialogue.”
She said Trump had extended “the hand of diplomacy” to Iran during both of his administrations. “But instead of taking that hand of diplomacy, you continue to put your hand in the fire,” Ortagus said, addressing Iravani directly. “Step away from the fire, sir, and take President Trump’s hand of diplomacy. It’s extended to you.”
Ortagus stressed, however, that the Trump administration has been firm that Iran must not enrich nuclear material inside the country — a key sticking point in negotiations.
Responding, Iravani said the US demand for zero enrichment violated Iran’s rights under the 2015 agreement and demonstrated that Washington was not interested in fair negotiations. He warned that if France and Britain continued to align with the US position, “diplomacy will be effectively destroyed.”
“Iran will not bow down to any pressure and intimidation,” Iravani said.
In September, the deal’s three Western signatories — Britain, France and Germany — triggered the “snapback” mechanism to reinstate UN sanctions that had been lifted, citing Iran’s failure to comply with the agreement.
As tensions between Tehran and Washington have grown, Iran has accelerated uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels. The UN nuclear watchdog, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, has reported that Iran now possesses more than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% — a short technical step from weapons-grade enrichment of 90%.
France’s deputy UN ambassador Jay Dharmadhikari defended the reimposition of sanctions, saying Iran has been in “increasingly flagrant violation” of limits intended to ensure its nuclear programme remains peaceful since 2019. He added that the snapback did not signal the end of diplomatic efforts.
Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia sharply criticised France’s position, telling the council: “You failed miserably in your so-called diplomatic efforts to strike a deal on the nuclear issue with Iran, and you know it.” (AP)
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