WANA (Mar 03) –  Kaja Kallas, the head of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Service, stated in an interview that the EU’s collective stance on Iran will be a key topic at the next meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers.

 

In an interview, Kallas was asked whether Iran would be willing to negotiate with the West over its nuclear program, given that international sanctions against Tehran under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 are set to expire in October. She responded with accusations against Iran, alleging its involvement in aiding Russia in the Ukraine war and its activities in the Middle East.

 

“Iran’s actions are clear. I mean its support for Russia in the war against Ukraine and its regional activities in the Middle East. We must take a firmer stance on Iran because developing a nuclear weapon is extremely dangerous. This is one of the issues we must coordinate with the U.S. on,” Kallas claimed.

 

Her remarks about Iran’s alleged support for Russia come despite Tehran and Moscow repeatedly denying these accusations. Iranian officials have stressed that, unlike Western nations, which provide extensive military and financial aid to Kyiv, Iran does not support either side in the war and is instead ready to mediate peace talks.

 

Kallas also reiterated claims about Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that it necessitates a stronger EU response. However, Iran’s nuclear activities remain under one of the world’s most stringent monitoring and verification regimes by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency has not confirmed the existence of a military dimension to Iran’s nuclear program in any of its technical reports.

 

Furthermore, Iranian officials maintain that nuclear weapons have no place in Iran’s defense doctrine while reaffirming Tehran’s right to pursue nuclear activities.

 

Despite the U.S. unilaterally withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) in 2018, Iran remained committed to the agreement for over a year. However, after enduring continued sanctions and European non-compliance with their commitments—including mechanisms meant to mitigate sanctions and facilitate trade with Iran—Tehran gradually reduced its voluntary commitments under Article 36 of the JCPOA in coordination with the IAEA. Iranian officials have consistently stated that these measures are reversible should all parties return to full compliance.

 

Efforts to revive the JCPOA under President Joe Biden’s administration failed to yield results, but Iran has emphasized that if there is political will from all sides, it remains open to finalizing a deal that leads to sanctions relief. In recent months, Iranian officials have held talks with European partners, including discussions in Geneva, but these have not yet led to tangible progress.

 

Addressing broader geopolitical tensions, Kallas noted that while there have been some recent frictions in EU-U.S. relations, the two sides remain close allies. “We have always been good friends and partners, cooperating on a range of issues, including Ukraine and the Middle East,” she said.

 

She also pointed to global alignments between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea, emphasizing that the EU and the U.S. must work together as transatlantic partners in response to these geopolitical developments.