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laurence norman

@laurnorman

7 Dec

Strong E3 language on #Iran IR-SM cascade plans & the Majlis law..."Iran’s recent announcement to the IAEA that it intends to install an additional three cascades of advanced centrifuges at the Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz is contrary to the JCPoA and deeply worrying." -1-

"We have taken note, with great concern, of the recent law passed by the Iranian Parliament,which- if implemented- wld substantially expand Iran’s nuclear program & limit IAEA monitoring access. The measures wld be incompatible with the JCPoA & Iran’s wider nuclear commitments"-2

|If Iran is serious about preserving a space for diplomacy, it must not implement these steps. Such a move wld jeopardise our shared efforts to preserve the JCPoA & risks compromising the important opportunity for a return to diplomacy with the incoming US Administration." -3-

Read 4 tweets

laurence norman

@laurnorman

2 Dec

Pretty succinct. "On foreign policy, Biden made 2 significant points. First, I asked him whether he stood by his views on the #Iran nuclear deal that he articulated in a Sep 13 essay on CNN.com He answered “It’s going to be hard, but yeah." nytimes.com/2020/12/02/opi…

If Iran gets a nuclear bomb, he added, it puts enormous pressure on the Saudis, Turkey, Egypt and others to get nuclear weapons themselves. “And the last goddamn thing we need in that part of the world is a buildup of nuclear capability.” Then, Biden said, “in consultation..."-2-

"with our allies & partners, we’re going to engage in negotiations and follow-on agreements to tighten and lengthen Iran’s nuclear constraints, as well as address the missile program.” The US always has the option to snap back sanctions if need be, & Iran knows that, he added-3-

Read 7 tweets

laurence norman

@laurnorman

1 Dec

Diplomats are concerned by steps from Majlis to push #Iran into major new breaches of #IranDeal even though parliament has no real power in this sphere. Rescinding Additional Protocol and building up stock of 120kg of 20% enriched uranium would gut remaining parts of #IranDeal-1-

That number is not randomly chosen either. It's half the 240 kg that formed the Israeli red line for how much 20% material Iran would need for a nuclear weapon. But one diplo most alarmed by a less noticed feature of bill: that Iran start working on uranium metal again...-2-

One diplomat said that is the most brazen signal that #Iran could resume nuclear weapons work (not just nuc;lear activity). Uranium metal is not for civilian purposes. It's used to build a nuclear weapon. That would be a huge step if regime pursued. (Again IF). -3-

Read 8 tweets

laurence norman

@laurnorman

29 Nov

@jakejsullivan

Earlier this week, @jakejsullivan added edge of detail to @JoeBiden #Iran plans. This comment has got some attention -- that US would return to #IranDeal compliance "if Iran returns to compliance & is prepared to advance good-faith negotiations on these follow-on agreements"-1-

However if you listen to the full recording here (around mins 34-37), he also implies #Iran would need only to commit to follow-on agreements upfront and then carry them out once U.S. & Iran returned to commitments. -2-

"If Iran is prepared to return to compliance with the Iran nuclear deal...then the United States is prepared to return to compliance with its obligations under the nuclear deal AND THEN wld work intensively on follow-on agreements to address a range of different issues" -3-

Read 5 tweets

laurence norman

@laurnorman

11 Nov

Iran enriched uranium stockpile continues to grow, now up to 2443 kg, far over 10 times permitted amount in #IranDeal tho the increase in last 3 months was moderate 338kg. Also Iran installing various advanced centrifuges in nuke facilities though not feeding some with uranium-1-

IAEA, in latest quarterly report, also called Iran explanation for the uranium found at Turquzabad site in 2019 "not technically competent." Said Iran needs to provide a "full and prompt" explanation for material found. -2-

In the report's final footnote, IAEA sneaks in some very interesting info. The "compositions of these isotopically altered particles are similar to particles found in
Iran in the past, originating from imported centrifuge component." Specifically, from #Pakistan.

Read 10 tweets

laurence norman

@laurnorman

9 Nov

@JosepBorrellF

Interesting lines from @JosepBorrellF on Trans-atlantic relations to come. Frank, as usual. "It is standard diplomatic practice to avoid expressions of political preference. However...It is no secret that the past four years have been complicated in terms of EU-US relations"-1-

"They were marked by numerous policy disagreements. And we even saw some of the principles that we considered as the bedrock of the transatlantic partnership being eroded, and sometimes even emptied of their substance." -2-

"So, we welcome the chance to work once again with a US President who doesn’t consider us a ‘foe’ or believes the EU has been ‘set up to take advantage of the US’." -3-

Read 6 tweets

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