Europeans engage in discussions with Iran over its nuclear development plan
Talking shop in Geneva as world powers seek to cool the heat between Israel and Iran
By Lars Nicolaysen and Jörg Blank, Geneva/Tel Aviv/Tehran (dpa) - As the war between Israel and Iran hits its stride, three European foreign ministers will huddle with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva today, hoping to dial down the tension. Their mission? To persuade Iran to chill out on its nuclear program and avoid acquiring nuclear weapons.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has also scored an invite to the get-together with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtchi. The European trinity - Johann Wadephul (Germany), Jean-Noël Barrot (France), and David Lammy (UK) - might be striving to kickstart some diplomatic momentum, all while uncertainty looms over whether the US will jump into the fray.
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Extra Scoop:
The European diplomatic tactic, spearheaded by these foreign ministers, centers around engagement with all parties to find a peaceful resolution, including Iran and the US, while urgently advocating for a ceasefire on military hostilities that escalate tensions[1][4].
Pressure Cooker Diplomacy:
- Talks with Iran's FM: EU representatives have already grabbed dinner with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, stressing the need for further dialogue and even suggesting all-inclusive negotiations between Israel, Iran, and the US—provided the Israeli attacks don't keep flying[2]. However, Iran remains adamant about halting attacks before engaging in further discussions[1].
- Cooking up a Peace Deal: France and other European bigwigs are whipping up a peace deal that proposes Iran scale back its uranium enrichment to nil, rein in its ballistic missile program, and cease bankrolling proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. But Iran is dead set on maintaining its rights to enrich uranium for civilian purposes and insists on a stop on Israeli aggression first, casting doubt over the deal's acceptance[2].
- No Soup for Regime Change and Escalation: The Europeans advocate against championing regime change from the outside, drawing from past lessons (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya), and advocate for diplomacy over military intervention[1]. Some Europeans even suggest Israel wind down its war efforts and pump up the diplomatic efforts with Arab countries to put out the fires[3].
- Everyone Loves S'mores, Not All-Out War: While the US hints at offering direct military support to Israel, including targeting Iran's nuke sites, European ministers are fixated on avoiding further escalation through diplomacy. They encourage Iran to continue negotiating with the US, championing talks as the optimal conflict resolution means—even as Iran turns a cold shoulder to these talks amidst Israel's ongoing attacks[1][2].
All things considered, European foreign ministers are brainstorming a diplomatic plan anchored in urgent multilateral negotiations aimed at containing the conflict and striking a peaceful resolution, particularly to discourage US military intervention that could fan the flames of war. Yet, key obstacles remain due to Iran's current stance on nuclear talks and its demands for a halt on Israeli attacks before resuming dialogue[1][2][4].
- As war-and-conflicts between Israel and Iran continue, the general-news following the Geneva talks reveals that European foreign ministers are urging Iran to reconsider its nuclear program and refrain from acquiring nuclear weapons as a means to ease the tension.
- In light of the ongoing war-and-conflicts between Israel and Iran, politics are playing a significant role in Geneva as world powers attempt to engage all parties and facilitate peaceful resolution, with the EU advocating for effective diplomacy to discourage US military intervention and prevent further escalation.
