Dubai, United Arab Emirates – US officials believe it is time to increase pressure on the Iranian regime.
They also believe that re-imposing UN sanctions should pave the way for a “diplomatic solution”.
The Washington Post reported that international pressure on the Iranian regime has escalated.
Fears have also grown that Israel may launch new attacks on Iran.
Strict conditions
The newspaper reported that an American official announced that Washington had set four strict conditions for starting any new negotiations with Iran.
These include direct and “serious” talks. Also, a complete halt to uranium enrichment, restrictions on the missile program, and an end to support for proxy groups.
The Iranian regime had previously considered these conditions unacceptable.
The official IRNA news agency reported on Wednesday. It referred to the Iranian regime’s possible reactions to the re-imposition of UN sanctions. It stated that “all statements indicate that Tehran currently believes that the solution lies in adopting a strategic patience approach. This approach lasts until Western countries change their policies or the scene changes due to some developments.”
The agency added: “It is natural that this approach is fraught with risks. This is given Israel’s hardline positions and the United States’ ongoing efforts to win over Tel Aviv.”
But Tehran considers playing on the ground of the Trump team’s highest demands to be useless. It will not serve its national interests.
Not the “preferred option”
A European official said that re-imposing sanctions on the Iranian regime “was not a preferred option”. Nevertheless, efforts to prevent escalation of tensions continue.
He added: “The door to diplomacy is still open, and we do not believe in a military solution to the nuclear crisis”.
A senior Arab official close to the Trump administration warned, in an interview with the newspaper, that the region today cannot tolerate another war between Iran and Israel. Moreover, conflicts similar to what happened two years ago should also be avoided.
He added that the cost of such a conflict would be very high.
He stressed that the only possible option is to reduce tensions.
He considered Iran’s weak position, including the decline in the value of the Iranian currency, sufficient reason to exercise caution. This is to avoid further military confrontation.
The Washington Post added that many in the region are concerned about new military action against Iran. It could spark a wave of regional instability, similar to what happened after Saddam Hussein’s regime fell in Iraq.
“Diplomacy must be the way forward,” the Arab official concluded.
The G7 foreign ministers and the European Union High Representative confirmed, in a joint statement on Wednesday, that they welcome the re-imposition of United Nations sanctions on the Iranian regime.
They stressed that all members of the United Nations are obligated to quickly implement the returned sanctions. They must fully adhere to them.
The statement said that the Iranian regime must immediately cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In addition to resuming inspections and clarifying its stock of nuclear materials, especially highly enriched uranium.
