Tehran: Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has dismissed the European Union’s recent call to initiate talks aimed at halting Iran’s nuclear activities. In a post on his X account late Wednesday, Araqchi stated that if the JCPOA Joint Commission’s Coordinator believes the aim of any potential negotiation is to “end Iran’s nuclear program,” it undermines the rights affirmed by international agreements.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Araqchi emphasized that the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas overlooks the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) provisions, which affirm the right of all signatories to develop and use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. Araqchi further argued that if Kallas’s stance is maintained, key provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA would hold no validity, rendering the snapback mechanism ineffective. He also suggested that the EU and its member states, including the UK, would have no meaningful role in future negotiations.

The statement from Araqchi foll
owed Kallas’s remarks on Tuesday, urging Iran to engage in immediate talks to limit its nuclear activities. Since the U.S. withdrew from the JCPOA under the Trump administration in 2018, reimposing sanctions, Iran has emphasized its right to nuclear development. Tehran has reduced its compliance with the agreement, increasing uranium enrichment while asserting its nuclear pursuits are for civilian uses, such as power generation and medical applications.

The European Union, along with France, Germany, and the UK (known as the E3), has been striving to revive the JCPOA through diplomatic means. However, Tehran has continuously expressed its dissatisfaction with European actions and perceived duplicity since the U.S. exited the deal in 2018.