UN pushes for Iran nuclear deal talks, says 'time is of the essence'

A top UN official on Tuesday pushed world powers and Iran to urgently work to restore a 2015 deal that lifted sanctions on Tehran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program, warning that its "success or failure matters to all of us."

Iran's deal with Britain, Germany, France, the United States, Russia, and China is known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The US quit the agreement in 2018, during Donald Trump's first term as president, and Iran began moving away from its nuclear-related commitments under the deal.

"Though diplomacy is the best option, the United States has also been clear a nuclear Iran can never be an option. We are prepared to use all elements of national power to ensure that outcome," deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood told the council.

Working to defuse regional tensions

European and Iranian diplomats met late last month to discuss whether they can work to defuse regional tensions, including over Tehran's nuclear program, before Trump's return to the White House in January for a second four-year term.

"Time is of the essence," UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council, which enshrined the deal in a 2015 resolution.

"While the onus is on the JCPOA participants and the US, their success or failure matters to all of us. The region cannot afford further instability."

Britain, France, and Germany told the Security Council in a letter earlier this month that they are ready - if needed - to trigger a so-called "snap back" of all international sanctions on Iran to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

They will lose the ability to take such action on October 18 next year when the 2015 UN resolution on the deal expires.

"We will take every diplomatic diplomatic step to prevent Iran from requiring a nuclear weapon, including the triggering of snap back if necessary," Britain's deputy UN Ambassador James Kariuki told the council on Tuesday.

Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the council that invoking the "snap back" of sanctions on Tehran would be "unlawful and counterproductive."

"The so-called snap back is not a tool in your hand to be abused for threatening Iran. Iran has made it very clear that such a provocative move will be reciprocated by a firm and proportionate response," he said.

The UN nuclear watchdog - the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) - said this month that Iran is "dramatically" accelerating enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% level that is weapons-grade.

Western states say there is no need to enrich uranium to such a high level under any civilian program and that no other country has done so without producing nuclear bombs. Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and says its program is peaceful.

DiCarlo told the Security Council that the IAEA was "unable to assure the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program."