Witkoff, Araghchi clash over enrichment ahead of fifth round of talks

The Istanbul meeting, held at Iran’s consulate and attended by political directors from the UK, France, and Germany, saw the Europeans propose language that would give them standing power to reimpose UN sanctions, irrespective of US participation in any agreement.

According to the report published on Sunday, the European side demanded the right to activate sanctions unilaterally under a "snapback-plus" cause in any deal reached between Iran and the US.

The Iranian delegation firmly rejected the proposal, Farhikhtegan wrote, warning that any such move could provoke Tehran to reconsider its membership in the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

One unnamed Iranian official was quoted as saying: “Iran has no objection to Europe’s presence in negotiations, but this cannot mean granting them enforcement privileges that exceed the original terms.”

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was asked on Sunday if the Istanbul talks signaled a renewed European willingness to engage. He replied, "The issue is that the Europeans have always had such a will, but their capabilities are limited."

"At the moment, the Europeans are not involved in our talks with the Americans, which is not something we welcome. It seems they haven't reached an internal consensus on this issue," he told IRNA on the sidelines of the Tehran Dialogue Forum.

"We will continue our talks with Europe and believe that the more mutual understanding exists between us, the better. We want Europe to play its role, though they themselves have diminished that role."

Snapback mechanism

The Farhikhtegan report said that European envoys threatened to trigger the so-called snapback mechanism and raised the prospect of broader sanctions should their demands be sidelined—remarks that further escalated tensions during the Istanbul meeting.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi confirmed on Sunday that the snapback issue was raised in recent discussions with the Europeans.

“The Europeans are aware of our position on this matter,” he said. “If any misuse occurs in this regard, we will not remain passive and will take measures within the framework of the NPT.”

The snapback mechanism is a provision within the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) that allows for the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran if it is found to be in “significant non-performance” of its commitments. This process is outlined in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA.

Under the mechanism, any JCPOA participant—France, Britain, Germany, Russia, China, and arguably the US—can file a complaint to the UN Security Council. If the Council does not pass a resolution to continue sanctions relief within 30 days, all previously lifted UN sanctions are automatically reinstated.

Crucially, this reimposition cannot be blocked by a veto from any permanent member of the Security Council. Although the US withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, it could still influence other participants to trigger snapback.

At the opening of Tehran Dialogue Forum on Sunday, Masoud Pezeshkian reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to its peaceful nuclear program while rejecting accusations of weaponization.

“We have the right, under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes such as health, agriculture, and industry,” he said.

The president pointed out Iran’s long-standing position that it does not seek nuclear weapons, citing religious prohibitions and ethical opposition to weapons of mass destruction.

“Our religious belief does not permit the production of nuclear weapons — tools that can destroy humanity and have no future on this Earth besides savagery,” Pezeshkian said. “Even the US president said, ‘We must make sure Iran does not have a nuclear weapon.’ Fine — let them come and check. We have nothing to hide.”

The Tehran Dialogue Forum, organized by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to promote unofficial diplomacy, according to the ministry. The two-day event includes participation from foreign ministers, senior policy officials, and UN representatives, with panel sessions livestreamed to audiences worldwide.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi — who has facilitated four rounds of indirect talks between Iran and the United States — attended the forum and may be carrying a new American proposal Trump alluded to Friday.

Trump said Iran has the US proposal, but hours later Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has received no written offer, directly or indirectly.

Call for a ‘fair and balanced’ nuclear deal

In a keynote speech at the same forum, the Iranian foreign minister described US sanctions as “unjust and unilateral,” directly targeting Iranian civilians, and urged their genuine and verifiable removal.

He added that Tehran remains committed to diplomacy and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. “We are seeking a fair and balanced agreement that fully respects Iran’s nuclear rights under the NPT and leads to the tangible and verifiable removal of sanctions,” Araghchi said.

“Sanctions that directly target our people must be lifted in a real and measurable way,” he added. “Such an agreement can serve the interests of both sides and promote peace, stability, and security in the region.”

Araghchi said again that Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons and expressed Tehran’s willingness to resolve international concerns through transparency and dialogue.

“We have always worked to address logical international concerns about our nuclear program through interaction and transparency,” he said.

Last month, UN's nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said in an interview with Le Monde that Iran was “not far” from being able to produce an atomic bomb, describing the country’s progress as “pieces of a puzzle” that could potentially come together.

Iran’s stockpile of 60% enriched uranium has risen to 275 kg, up from 182 kg last quarter, the the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief told the agency’s board in March, warning that Iran remains the only non-nuclear weapon state enriching to such a level.

The IAEA says 60% enrichment has no credible civilian use and is close to weapons-grade. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and remains under IAEA monitoring and has no secret nuclear site.

Iran outlines foreign policy strategy, offers reset with Europe

In his address, Araghchi outlined Iran’s evolving foreign policy under President Pezeshkian, structured around three pillars: expanding ties with neighbors, strengthening cooperation with emerging powers and the Global South, and balancing relations with both Eastern and Western blocs.

“Iran seeks to play an active role in shaping a multipolar, just global order,” he said, pointing to Iran’s membership in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Iran views its participation in organizations like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a sign of its growing alignment with multipolar global structures.

Araghchi also said Tehran is ready to begin a “new chapter” with Europe if European states adopt an independent and constructive approach.

He added that Tehran is open to improving ties with Europe if there is a “genuine will” and an “independent approach” from European partners. “If Europe is ready to move past a fixation on disputes, we are ready to open a new chapter.”

Earlier in the day, conservative daily Farhikhtegan reported that European powers pressed for a formal seat at the table and new enforcement mechanisms during Friday’s meeting in Iran’s consulate in Istanbul.

Rejecting ‘external domination’ for regional agency

Addressing the broader geopolitical context, both Pezeshkian and Araghchi denounced what they called foreign interference in West Asia.

“The fate of our region should not remain in the hands of extra-regional powers... it must not remain tied to decisions made in think tanks outside of it,” Araghchi said, citing the Gaza crisis as further evidence of the failure of international systems.

“West Asia needs a fundamental rethinking of its self-image,” Iran’s top diplomat said at the forum, titled “Regional Agency in a Disordered World: Unity or Division?”

He called for a rethinking of the region’s self-image, moving away from narratives imposed by outside actors and instead building an indigenous order. “It is time we dismantle the fabricated and imposed quasi-realities, and establish a local, desirable, and sustainable order,” he said.

Forum as a platform for unofficial diplomacy

The two-day Tehran Dialogue Forum, hosted by Iran’s Foreign Ministry think tank — the Center for Political and International Studies — brings together 200 foreign delegates, including ministers and decision-makers from Persian Gulf and Asian states, according to state media.

Saeed Khatibzadeh, head of the Center, described the forum as “a platform for unofficial diplomatic conversation” that consolidates prior regional conferences on the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and Afghanistan into a single event aimed at strengthening regional diplomacy.

This year’s forum marks a return after a one-year hiatus due to the death of Iran’s former President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in a helicopter crash

Khatibzadeh said the forum’s revival under the new administration signals a renewed commitment to diplomacy “rooted in regional priorities, not foreign agendas.”

“Diplomacy, like all other fields, has diverse methods — sometimes a single individual can advance diplomacy as much as an institution,” he said.

He said that all Persian Gulf states sent high-ranking delegations, and that the conference includes 40 panel discussions broadcast live. Around 50 foreign media outlets are covering the event, he said.

The message of Iran’s leadership at the Forum was clear: while Tehran is open to renewed engagement with the US and Europe, it will not accept coercion or compromise on what it views as sovereign rights.

“As a free human being, I reject all forms of coercion,” said President Pezeshkian. “So does every free person in this country and this region. Free nations will never bow to pressure.”

The Aras or Araz-2025 drill, named after the border river Aras, is being held in areas reclaimed from Armenia by Azerbaijan during its 2020 military operation and will continue through May 21, according to officials from both countries.

Iran’s delegation, including senior commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces, crossed into Azerbaijan via the Bileh Savar border in Iran’s Ardabil province.

Brigadier General Vali Madani, IRGC’s deputy ground forces operations commander and the joint drill’s lead officer, said the exercise aims to bolster border security and enhance coordination in response to potential regional threats.

The drill comes amid ongoing peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia following decades of conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Iran, which shares borders with both countries, has voiced support for a permanent peace agreement.

Iranian officials say such cooperation contributes to regional stability. "This exercise is a significant step toward strengthening mutual trust and security along shared borders," Madani said.

A previous joint exercise between Iranian and Azerbaijani special forces took place in December 2023 in Iran’s Ardabil province.

Tehran has expressed support for the peace deal framework agreed in March between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which includes Armenia’s recognition of Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh.

Iran has also positioned itself as a mediator and supporter of post-conflict reconstruction and regional development.

However, the relationship between the two sides has undergone friction in recent years, including Tehran's anger at Baku's opening an embassy in Tel Aviv two years ago, and more recently, regarding the two nations' growing economic and military ties.

Earlier this year, Kamal Kharrazi, chairman of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations and a top adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, warned Azerbaijan about its growing ties with Israel.

“Countries should take their neighbors’ sensitivities into consideration,” Kharrazi told Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president of Azerbaijan for foreign policy affairs, in a January meeting in Tehran.

Only in December, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had condemned comments by Hassan Ameli, the Friday Prayer leader of Ardabil, who accused Baku of collaborating with Israel.

The three were convicted of “corruption on earth” and “assisting in armed rebellion,” charges that carry the death penalty under Iran’s Islamic law.

The judiciary described them as key coordinators in the planning and logistics of the attacks, which killed a total of 15 people, according to official figures.

Five others received prison terms ranging from five to 25 years. Two were identified as members of the Islamic State militant group, also known as Daesh.

The shrine, a prominent religious and tourist site, was targeted twice in less than a year. Iranian authorities previously executed two people connected to the first attack in October 2022.

In the second attack in August 2023, the main perpetrator was identified as Rahmatullah Nowruzov, a Tajik national. Authorities arrested multiple foreign nationals in connection with that incident.

Iranian officials have attributed the attacks to extremist groups.

Demonstrations were reported in Isfahan, Ahvaz, Birjand, Kermanshah, Qom, Shahinshahr and Mashhad, where bakers voiced frustration over the economic strain threatening their businesses and livelihoods.

Protesters held banners reading, “We are bakers, not slaves. Hear our voice,” and chanted, “Enough with the promises, our tables are empty.”

Footage verified by Iran International showed bakers in Mashhad returning their card readers in protest. In Qom, one baker said he had ceased baking for days, citing nearly a month of uncompensated labor: “I worked 27 days for nothing. The old saying goes, whether it’s a donkey or a fool, it’s still working.”

Bakers cite the failure of the government’s integrated system, delays in promised subsidies under President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration, and steep rises in fuel, insurance, and raw material costs.

Some complained of repeated power outages that destroyed large batches of dough. One video showed a baker smearing spoiled dough on his face in protest over the blackouts.

The protests follow weeks of similar actions outside governorate and municipal offices. In several rallies, demonstrators chanted for the resignation of what they called “incompetent officials.”

On May 7, Gilan governor Hadi Haghshenas acknowledged that current bread prices were unsustainable for producers. “Given the increase in labor wages and utility costs, a price adjustment is reasonable,” he said, adding that a working group would soon finalize a decision on revised rates.

The unrest underscores deepening tensions over basic commodities in Iran, where inflation and subsidy mismanagement continue to fuel economic discontent. Bakers say that without immediate relief, Iran’s most essential staple may soon be priced—or simply unavailable—beyond the reach of ordinary households.