UN nucear watchdog slams Iran's 'non-compliance' over non-proliferation

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00:00Well, indeed, on Thursday, then, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog did formally conclude that

00:04for the first time in 20 years, Iran is not complying with its nuclear obligations, declaring

00:08then Tehran in breach of nonproliferation obligations.

00:12That draft resolution then calls on Tehran to provide answers without the delay.

00:17And indeed, Iran did react swiftly, but perhaps not in the way the organization would have

00:21hoped, Tehran saying that it has no choice but to respond to the, I quote, political

00:25resolution and will establish a new enrichment facility in a secure location, among other

00:31measures also being considered.

00:33For more on this, France 24's Angela Diffley joins me on set.

00:36Hi, Angela.

00:37So if we set Iran's reaction and the latest developments aside for a moment, what do you

00:42think we should read into this decision by the Trump administration to remove U.S. non-essential

00:47personnel from these areas?

00:49Yeah, I think it's important to underline that the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency,

00:54as we just said, there, is expressing real concern over this.

00:59These bilateral talks between the U.S. and Iran are not really going anywhere at the moment.

01:05Now, it's unclear whether this decision by Trump to recall U.S. non-military personnel

01:12or non-essential personnel from embassies is, you know, sending a message, exerting pressure

01:19on Iran, saying something might happen very soon if you don't show a willingness to compromise

01:27or whether it is real.

01:29We know that Trump spoke on Monday to Netanyahu.

01:33That conversation was described as tense.

01:37And the Israelis feel that this is the best opportunity they have had in many years to

01:43strike Iran.

01:45The economy is extremely weak.

01:48There is a very frustrated population.

01:51And most importantly, Israel has had considerable success in weakening Iran's proxies around the

01:58world.

01:59And so the Israelis have never trusted Iran, do not trust Iran, do not think that Iran is

02:04entering into these talks in good faith.

02:06And so, you know, we don't know how real the possibility is that they will strike one of

02:13Iran's nuclear facilities.

02:15Now, on the diplomatic end, in those negotiations that led to the latest agreement over its nuclear

02:20program, that's, of course, the 2015 JCPOA agreement that Trump pulled out of in 2018,

02:26European countries were heavily involved, this time much less so.

02:31And Gulf states seem to have kind of replaced their involvement.

02:34So what's behind that?

02:35Yeah, you know, worth saying as well, worth underlining that very many people consider

02:40that had Washington not pulled out under Trump in his first term, then Iran would not have

02:46made that decision to ramp up its nuclear program.

02:51Debatable, but that is a very clear line of thought.

02:56In any case, Trump has now decided he wants bilateral talks, Iran, the US, and he wants a

03:02quick deal. And if there isn't one, there will be some sort of military action.

03:07And what is really noticeable, as you say, is that back in 2015, we had France, the UK,

03:12Germany, China, the US involved in setting up that deal.

03:16This time, it is all about the Gulf states.

03:19And what has really changed since then is that Saudi Arabia, which was traditionally the counterweight

03:25to Iran in that region, Saudi Arabia, a key massive economy and the key Sunni power in the region, Iran, a Shiite power.

03:35They have traditionally been enemies.

03:37Back in 2023, the relationship thawed slightly.

03:40They now have re-established diplomatic relations.

03:44Saudi Arabia is very much talking to Donald Trump.

03:47On the other side, you have Israel saying, don't trust the Iranians.

03:51Saudi Arabia, keen to avoid war.

03:53There is a potential off-ramp, which is where Saudi Arabia and various other countries in the area

04:00get into a consortium with perhaps the US and agree to facilitate low-level uranium nuclear program,

04:11civil nuclear program for the Iranians.

04:14That might be some sort of compromise.

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