Latest news with #EuropeanUnion
Winnipeg Free Press
19 minutes ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
10 years after Europe's migration crisis, the fallout reverberates in Greece and beyond
LESBOS, Greece (AP) — Fleeing Iran with her husband and toddler, Amena Namjoyan reached a rocky beach of this eastern Greek island along with hundreds of thousands of others. For months, their arrival overwhelmed Lesbos. Boats fell apart, fishermen dove to save people from drowning, and local grandmothers bottle-fed newly arrived babies. Namjoyan spent months in an overcrowded camp. She learned Greek. She struggled with illness and depression as her marriage collapsed. She tried to make a fresh start in Germany but eventually returned to Lesbos, the island that first embraced her. Today, she works at a restaurant, preparing Iranian dishes that locals devour, even if they struggle to pronounce the names. Her second child tells her, ''I'm Greek.'' 'Greece is close to my culture, and I feel good here,' Namjoyan said. 'I am proud of myself.' In 2015, more than 1 million migrants and refugees arrived in Europe — the majority by sea, landing in Lesbos, where the north shore is just 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Turkey. The influx of men, women and children fleeing war and poverty sparked a humanitarian crisis that shook the European Union to its core. A decade later, the fallout still reverberates on the island and beyond. For many, Greece was a place of transit. They continued on to northern and western Europe. Many who applied for asylum were granted international protection; thousands became European citizens. Countless more were rejected, languishing for years in migrant camps or living in the streets. Some returned to their home countries. Others were kicked out of the European Union. For Namjoyan, Lesbos is a welcoming place — many islanders share a refugee ancestry, and it helps that she speaks their language. But migration policy in Greece, like much of Europe, has shifted toward deterrence in the decade since the crisis. Far fewer people are arriving illegally. Officials and politicians have maintained that strong borders are needed. Critics say enforcement has gone too far and violates fundamental EU rights and values. 'Migration is now at the top of the political agenda, which it didn't use to be before 2015,' said Camille Le Coz Director of the Migration Policy Institute Europe, noting changing EU alliances. 'We are seeing a shift toward the right of the political spectrum.' A humanitarian crisis turned into a political one In 2015, boat after boat crowded with refugees crashed onto the doorstep of Elpiniki Laoumi, who runs a fish tavern across from a Lesbos beach. She fed them, gave them water, made meals for aid organizations. 'You would look at them and think of them as your own children,' said Laoumi, whose tavern walls today are decorated with thank-you notes. From 2015 to 2016, the peak of the migration crisis, more than 1 million people entered Europe through Greece alone. The immediate humanitarian crisis — to feed, shelter and care for so many people at once — grew into a long-term political one. Greece was reeling from a crippling economic crisis. The influx added to anger against established political parties, fueling the rise of once-fringe populist forces. EU nations fought over sharing responsibility for asylum seekers. The bloc's unity cracked as some member states flatly refused to take migrants. Anti-migration voices calling for closed borders became louder. Today, illegal migration is down across Europe While illegal migration to Greece has fluctuated, numbers are nowhere near 2015-16 figures, according to the International Organization for Migration. Smugglers adapted to heightened surveillance, shifting to more dangerous routes. Overall, irregular EU border crossings decreased by nearly 40% last year and continue to fall, according to EU border and coast guard agency Frontex. That hasn't stopped politicians from focusing on — and sometimes fearmongering over — migration. This month, the Dutch government collapsed after a populist far-right lawmaker withdrew his party's ministers over migration policy. In Greece, the new far-right migration minister has threatened rejected asylum seekers with jail time. A few miles from where Namjoyan now lives, in a forest of pine and olive trees, is a new EU-funded migrant center. It's one of the largest in Greece and can house up to 5,000 people. Greek officials denied an Associated Press request to visit. Its opening is blocked, for now, by court challenges. Some locals say the remote location seems deliberate — to keep migrants out of sight and out of mind. 'We don't believe such massive facilities are needed here. And the location is the worst possible – deep inside a forest,' said Panagiotis Christofas, mayor of Lesbos' capital, Mytilene. 'We're against it, and I believe that's the prevailing sentiment in our community.' A focus on border security For most of Europe, migration efforts focus on border security and surveillance. The European Commission this year greenlighted the creation of 'return' hubs — a euphemism for deportation centers — for rejected asylum seekers. Italy has sent unwanted migrants to its centers in Albania, even as that faces legal challenges. Governments have resumed building walls and boosting surveillance in ways unseen since the Cold War. In 2015, Frontex was a small administrative office in Warsaw. Now, it's the EU's biggest agency, with 10,000 armed border guards, helicopters, drones and an annual budget of over 1 billion euros. On other issues of migration — reception, asylum and integration, for example — EU nations are largely divided. The legacy of Lesbos Last year, EU nations approved a migration and asylum pact laying out common rules for the bloc's 27 countries on screening, asylum, detention and deportation of people trying to enter without authorization, among other things. 'The Lesbos crisis of 2015 was, in a way, the birth certificate of the European migration and asylum policy,' Margaritis Schinas, a former European Commission vice president and a chief pact architect, told AP. He said that after years of fruitless negotiations, he's proud of the landmark compromise. 'We didn't have a system,' Schinas said. 'Europe's gates had been crashed.' The deal, endorsed by the United Nations refugee agency, takes effect next year. Critics say it made concessions to hardliners. Human rights organizations say it will increase detention and erode the right to seek asylum. Some organizations also criticize the 'externalization' of EU border management — agreements with countries across the Mediterranean to aggressively patrol their coasts and hold migrants back in exchange for financial assistance. The deals have expanded, from Turkey to the Middle East and across Africa. Human rights groups say autocratic governments are pocketing billions and often subject the displaced to appalling conditions. Lesbos still sees some migrants arrive Lesbos' 80,000 residents look back at the 2015 crisis with mixed feelings. Fisherman Stratos Valamios saved some children. Others drowned just beyond his reach, their bodies still warm as he carried them to shore. 'What's changed from back then to now, 10 years on? Nothing,' he said. 'What I feel is anger — that such things can happen, that babies can drown.' Those who died crossing to Lesbos are buried in two cemeteries, their graves marked as 'unknown.' Tiny shoes and empty juice boxes with faded Turkish labels can still be found on the northern coast. So can black doughnut-shaped inner tubes, given by smugglers as crude life preservers for children. At Moria, a refugee camp destroyed by fire in 2020, children's drawings remain on gutted building walls. Migrants still arrive, and sometimes die, on these shores. Lesbos began to adapt to a quieter, more measured flow of newcomers. Efi Latsoudi, who runs a network helping migrants learn Greek and find jobs, hopes Lesbos' tradition of helping outsiders in need will outlast national policies. 'The way things are developing, it's not friendly for newcomers to integrate into Greek society,' Latsoudi said. 'We need to do something. … I believe there is hope.' ____ Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain. AP journalists Petros Giannakouris in Lesbos and Theodora Tongas in Athens contributed.
The Hindu
24 minutes ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Google hits setback in bid to overturn multibillion EU antitrust fine in Android case
Google faced a big setback Thursday in its attempt to overturn a multibillion-dollar European Union antitrust penalty involving Android after a top court's legal adviser sided with regulators. The European Court of Justice's advocate general, Juliane Kokott, recommended in a non-binding opinion that Google's appeal against the fine worth more than 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) should be dismissed. The case dates back to 2018, when the EU's executive Commission slapped Google with a 4.134 billion euro fine after finding that the U.S. tech company used the dominance of its mobile Android operating system to throttle competition and reduce consumer choice. After Google filed an initial appeal, a lower court trimmed the penalty to 4.125 billion euros in 2022, which the company also appealed to the Court of Justice. Kokott advised that the Court of Justice confirm the fine and uphold the lower court's judgment, according to a press release summarising her opinion. Google said it was disappointed with the opinion, adding that if the court follows it, it "would discourage investment in open platforms and harm Android users, partners and app developers.' ″Android has created more choice for everyone and supports thousands of successful businesses in Europe and around the world," the company said in a statement. Opinions from the advocate general aren't legally binding but are often followed by judges. The judges 'are now beginning their deliberations in this case. Judgment will be given at a later date,' the court said. The fine was one of three antitrust penalties totaling more than 8 billion euros that the European Commission slapped on Google in the last decade, as the 27-nation bloc launched its crackdown on Big Tech companies. Google still faces a decision from Brussels in an antitrust case targeting its digital ad business.
Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- Business
- Indian Express
EU says it is probing corporate structure of Musk's X months after xAI deal
The European Union said on Thursday it was seeking more information from Elon Musk's X about changes to its corporate structure, months after the social media platform was bought by xAI in a $33 billion deal. 'We are following closely changes in the corporate structure of X, as we would changes in any other designated platform,' a spokesperson for the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said. However, the spokesperson did not confirm an earlier report from Bloomberg News that said regulators were evaluating potential fines on X under the Digital Services Act. Before its summer recess in August, the regulator could announce a fine on X for alleged infractions under the DSA, though delays are possible, Bloomberg reported. Representatives for xAI and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Any firm found in breach of the DSA faces a fine worth up to 6% of its global turnover, and repeat offenders may be banned from operating in Europe altogether. Earlier this month, X highlighted a disclaimer to its blue checkmark in an attempt to head off a possible hefty fine from EU antitrust regulators. The Commission issued preliminary findings under the DSA in July last year that X violated rules on deceptive design, especially by turning the blue checkmark into a paid verification, assigning false credibility to users. X had disagreed with the assessment. The EU had announced a probe into X's alleged breaches of the DSA in December 2023.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Trump says he'll decide on US attacks on Iran within two weeks
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he'll decide within two weeks whether or not Washington will get directly involved military in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Trump says two weeks will be enough to decide whether a diplomatic solution is possible. The conflict between Israel and Iran has entered the eighth day, with both sides trading hundreds of missile strikes. Dozens of Israelis were killed in cross-border Iranian strikes, while Tehran suffered hundreds of fatalities. The conflict started last week in the early hours of Friday as Israel carried out a surprise attack on Tehran, targeting military and nuclear sites. Israel says its decision to attack was to guarantee its survival as it grew increasingly concerned about Iran's rapidly developing nuclear programme. On Thursday, a missile struck the vicinity of the European Union delegation in Tel Aviv, according to several sources consulted by Euronews. The origin of the missile was not immediately clear, but it was presumed to be a projectile fired by Iran against Israel amid the military escalation between the two countries, which is now on its seventh day. The distance between the EU delegation and the strike is believed to be between 400 and 500 metres, two sources indicated. The strike happened on Thursday near a district where several European embassies are located, including those from the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, North Macedonia and Ireland, as well as the Tel Aviv-Savidor Central railway station. A spokesperson for the European Commission said the personnel were safe. "While no EU staff were injured today, we note with grave concern that diplomatic premises have been damaged in the attacks by Iran," the spokesperson said. "Under no circumstances, civilian areas and infrastructures as well as foreign diplomatic staff and missions should be targeted or attacked." Earlier, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz threatened Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Tehran struck a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people. Israel's military 'has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist," said Katz. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to moderate his approach to the conflict with Iran. According to a German government source, Merz underlined the importance of "diplomatic solutions" to Israel. On Friday, Germany is expected to hold nuclear talks with its European partners and the Iranian foreign minister at its permanent representation in Geneva. Iran also appears unwilling to back down as they vowed to continue fighting to defend their land, people and sovereignty against the threat Israel poses. In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Iran's Ambassador to the UN Ali Bahraini stated that Iran's main priority currently is 'to stop aggression, to stop attacks'. "I personally cannot imagine there would be a strong probability at the moment for a kind of diplomatic idea or initiative because for us it would be inappropriate if we think or talk at the moment about anything rather than stopping the aggressors," Bahraini noted. He however noted that Israel is not an entity 'with which somebody can negotiate', adding that Tehran's response must be resolute in order to show Israel that 'it is not able to cross the red lines against Iran'. Bahraini also slammed the EU, as he stated that the bloc carries some of the blame for the conflict breaking out. "We believe that the minimum thing Europeans can do is to very explicitly condemn Israel and stop their support for Israel," Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ali Bahraini said in an interview for Euronews. Speaking on a looming US attack amid Trump's recent threats, Bahraini asserted that Iran would respond firmly to any attack by Washington on its land, adding that attacks on US soil are not off the table. In an extended interview with Euronews on Thursday, Israel's ambassador to the EU and NATO Haim Regev said Israel is in a 'tough war with Iran' not just to destroy its nuclear programme and missiles, but also to defend Europe, to save lives in Ukraine, and to create a space for opportunity and new hope in the Middle East. But Regev also made it bluntly clear that Israel 'is not negotiating with anybody on the Iran and Gaza threats', when asked about a reset with the EU over Iran following the convulsions of the Gaza crisis. 'We are now doing what is good for the state of Israel, removing the nuclear and missile threat and also on the other hand releasing the hostages from Gaza and eliminating the capability of Hamas to stay there," the ambassador expressed Israel's position in its ongoing dialogue with Brussels. "So it's not a matter of let's do and let's negotiate and give you that and get that. This is not the case here,' Regev said. Regev said Israel took action against Iran because it did not have a choice, 'to remove a direct threat to the state of Israel', addressing full frontal the fact that diplomacy, agreements and sanctions failed to work. When asked about regime change in Iran, the Israeli ambassador chose to underline that Israel's offensive in Iran is 'exceeding the original military plan, getting close to achieve all goals for this war'. As a result, Israel has the capability to act on multiple fronts to 'remove the nuclear and missile threat from Iran and the terror threat in Gaza,' according to Regev. But the effects of the decisive action against Iran go beyond the Middle East, Israel's top diplomat said, underlining that it is also set to protect Europe because 'Iran poses a threat also to Europe.' 'When people ask me, why not to solve it with diplomacy, I ask why does Iran need a 4,000-kilometre missile to reach Brussels and other places? For what do they need it? For what? Is there any threat that Europe poses to Iran militarily? Why is Iran developing this missile? Why is Iran promoting terror? Why is Iran supporting Russia,' Regev asked. Following up with a strong, unequivocal statement for Israel, the ambassador said that 'targetting Iranian missile facilities is saving Ukrainian lives, by harming Iran's ability to supply missiles and drones to Russia, contributing or diminishing their capability to harm Ukrainians through Russia because Iran is one of the big supporters of Russia's war with Ukraine.' When asked about Moscow's offer to mediate the Iran-Israel conflict, the ambassador dismissed the idea swiftly by saying 'right now we are not interviewing leaders for who is going to be the mediator.' Through all these developments, according to Regev, Israel sees this reality taking shape as 'an opportunity', due to what he calls 'our success'. 'For the first time in years, there is a hope for the people of the region," he said. In Israel's view, he explained, radical groups such as 'the Mullahs in Iran, the Houthis in Yemen, Assad in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon' controlled the regimes in countries surrounding Israel. 'The idea was let's speak with them, international community, let's try to reach an agreement, let's start to do something, let's start to appease them. It didn't work." "For the first time in a decade there is a hope for the people there, because see what's happening in Lebanon, see what's happening in Syria. And I hope that we'll see it in Iran. It's thanks to the Israeli operation on the ground,' said the Israeli ambassador, outlining his country's future Middle East policy vision. 'And maybe, not maybe, I'm sure that for the long run it will improve the situation on the ground for the people of the region. For the people of Israel, of course, but also the people in the region,' he said. But, he stressed, Israel 'is paying a price for that, we understand that this is something that we need to do once and for all, whatever price we will pay. This is right now an opportunity that we cannot stop in the middle,' he expressed the current Israeli decisive mindset. Israel now sees any future diplomacy in a different paradigm, contrary to the formats that attempted to contain Iran's nuclear programme over the last years. 'When Israel has removed most of the threat, we expect Europe and the international community will step in and verify that Iran is not going back to be a bad player,' he specified. Since Israel believes that the previous diplomacy formats failed leading to the current crisis, the ambassador underlined again and again throughout the interview the need for Europe and the international community to initiate a new framework in which 'diplomacy will play a role, but this time will be more concrete, practical with the specific outcomes.' 'Israel does not have any interest to go to a large-scale war and I'm not sure that also Iran is interested in that or their regime. So the best thing is to keep pressing Iran, put a strong stand by the international community and Europe, warning Iran." "They need to understand that nobody is standing with them, and there will be consequences for them to go for a larger scale. So I think it also depends on how the international community in Europe will react to this threat. Directly towards Iran,' the Israeli ambassador presented his government's view of the Middle East's post-war reality. Asked if negotiations can yield results now, the ambassador answered briefly: 'We are right now focusing on achieving the goal of our military operation.' 'But it needs to be followed by strong measures by the international community, including Europe. This time it should be strict. No nuclear, no missiles." "Without any loopholes or without any trying and attempts to overcome this sanction,' Regev outlined Israel's position on any future negotiation, 'when the war is over." Israel's ambassador to the EU chose to be equally clear and firm about his government's current interactions with the European Union on the crisis with Iran, saying 'we hear different tones, but at the end of the road we see and we feel the support.' The Israeli government has 'a continuous and intensive interaction' with the top EU institutions in Brussels, but 'of course it is complicated when it comes to have one position in the Union composed of 27 member states.' When asked if he perceives a reset over Iran after the political reactions over the Gaza crisis, Regev said, 'It depends on who you ask, it's the honest answer." 'There is a war right now and Israel is actually leading this war against Iran, that this is the war also for the benefit, for the long run of Europe. So this is not the time right now to examine or to push things or to try to put obstacles in the Israel-EU relations." "This is definitely not the time or the day after we got hit by rockets, with many dozens of civilians injured and killed. Right now it's time to focus on this war with Iran and this is what we expect that the EU will do,' Regev stated. But still, he chose to make it clear that the 'operation in Gaza is not related to Israel's relation with the EU, but it is related to what is happening on the ground' even if 'there is a group that pushes for reviewing and keeps putting the issue of Gaza on the table, while there are other groups that understand that this is not the time.' 'And this is what we try to do, to push more for the group and the actors that understand that this is not the time right now,' the ambassador seemed to urge the pro-Israel voices to speak up. 'There are still 53 hostages there, and they must be released before if we want to end this war. Second, as long as Hamas is there, controlling Gaza, we don't want to see them the day after." "So we want this war to end, like everybody. But we want the hostages back and we want to see that Hamas does not have any control. It's not only related to our relation with the EU, and we try as much as we can to explain this line,' Regev concluded.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Europeans in talks with Iran as Rubio calls around
As European diplomats seek to de-escalate the Israel/Iran conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been discussing the situation with other countries. Rubio met British foreign minister David Lammy on Thursday and held separate calls with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the conflict. The US State Department said Rubio and the foreign ministers agreed that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon." Lammy said the same on X while adding that the situation in the Middle East "remained perilous" and a "window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution." US President Donald Trump says he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the war, the White House said. The foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and the European Union were due to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva on Friday to try to create a pathway back to diplomacy. The ministers from the countries, known as the E3, spoke to Abbas Araqchi earlier this week. In a rare call they pressed upon Araqchi the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face. Negotiations between Iran and the United States collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," said a European diplomat. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The European powers, who were not part of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the United States, had grown increasingly frustrated by the US strategy in the talks. They deemed some of the demands unrealistic, while fearing the possibility of a weak initial political framework that would lead to open-ended negotiations. Diplomats said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped, Iran's nuclear program would still remain unresolved given that it would be impossible to eradicate the know-how acquired, leaving it potentially able to clandestinely rebuild its program. An Iranian official urged the E3 to use all available means to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Iran. "Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack," the official said. Prior to Israel's strikes the E3 and US put forward a resolution that was approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog, which declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. As part of last week's IAEA resolution, European officials had said they could refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later in the summer to add pressure on Iran if there was no progress in the nuclear talks. As European diplomats seek to de-escalate the Israel/Iran conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been discussing the situation with other countries. Rubio met British foreign minister David Lammy on Thursday and held separate calls with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the conflict. The US State Department said Rubio and the foreign ministers agreed that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon." Lammy said the same on X while adding that the situation in the Middle East "remained perilous" and a "window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution." US President Donald Trump says he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the war, the White House said. The foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and the European Union were due to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva on Friday to try to create a pathway back to diplomacy. The ministers from the countries, known as the E3, spoke to Abbas Araqchi earlier this week. In a rare call they pressed upon Araqchi the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face. Negotiations between Iran and the United States collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," said a European diplomat. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The European powers, who were not part of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the United States, had grown increasingly frustrated by the US strategy in the talks. They deemed some of the demands unrealistic, while fearing the possibility of a weak initial political framework that would lead to open-ended negotiations. Diplomats said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped, Iran's nuclear program would still remain unresolved given that it would be impossible to eradicate the know-how acquired, leaving it potentially able to clandestinely rebuild its program. An Iranian official urged the E3 to use all available means to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Iran. "Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack," the official said. Prior to Israel's strikes the E3 and US put forward a resolution that was approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog, which declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. As part of last week's IAEA resolution, European officials had said they could refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later in the summer to add pressure on Iran if there was no progress in the nuclear talks. As European diplomats seek to de-escalate the Israel/Iran conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been discussing the situation with other countries. Rubio met British foreign minister David Lammy on Thursday and held separate calls with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the conflict. The US State Department said Rubio and the foreign ministers agreed that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon." Lammy said the same on X while adding that the situation in the Middle East "remained perilous" and a "window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution." US President Donald Trump says he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the war, the White House said. The foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and the European Union were due to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva on Friday to try to create a pathway back to diplomacy. The ministers from the countries, known as the E3, spoke to Abbas Araqchi earlier this week. In a rare call they pressed upon Araqchi the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face. Negotiations between Iran and the United States collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," said a European diplomat. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The European powers, who were not part of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the United States, had grown increasingly frustrated by the US strategy in the talks. They deemed some of the demands unrealistic, while fearing the possibility of a weak initial political framework that would lead to open-ended negotiations. Diplomats said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped, Iran's nuclear program would still remain unresolved given that it would be impossible to eradicate the know-how acquired, leaving it potentially able to clandestinely rebuild its program. An Iranian official urged the E3 to use all available means to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Iran. "Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack," the official said. Prior to Israel's strikes the E3 and US put forward a resolution that was approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog, which declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. As part of last week's IAEA resolution, European officials had said they could refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later in the summer to add pressure on Iran if there was no progress in the nuclear talks. As European diplomats seek to de-escalate the Israel/Iran conflict, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been discussing the situation with other countries. Rubio met British foreign minister David Lammy on Thursday and held separate calls with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to discuss the conflict. The US State Department said Rubio and the foreign ministers agreed that "Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon." Lammy said the same on X while adding that the situation in the Middle East "remained perilous" and a "window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution." US President Donald Trump says he will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the war, the White House said. The foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and the European Union were due to meet Iran's foreign minister in Geneva on Friday to try to create a pathway back to diplomacy. The ministers from the countries, known as the E3, spoke to Abbas Araqchi earlier this week. In a rare call they pressed upon Araqchi the need to return to the negotiating table and avoid further escalation. At Iran's suggestion the two sides agreed to meet face-to-face. Negotiations between Iran and the United States collapsed when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion against Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic capabilities on June 12. "The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can," said a European diplomat. "We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens." The European powers, who were not part of Iran's nuclear negotiations with the United States, had grown increasingly frustrated by the US strategy in the talks. They deemed some of the demands unrealistic, while fearing the possibility of a weak initial political framework that would lead to open-ended negotiations. Diplomats said it was vital to engage with Iran because once the war stopped, Iran's nuclear program would still remain unresolved given that it would be impossible to eradicate the know-how acquired, leaving it potentially able to clandestinely rebuild its program. An Iranian official urged the E3 to use all available means to pressure Israel to halt its attacks on Iran. "Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack," the official said. Prior to Israel's strikes the E3 and US put forward a resolution that was approved by the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a UN watchdog, which declared Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations. As part of last week's IAEA resolution, European officials had said they could refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later in the summer to add pressure on Iran if there was no progress in the nuclear talks.
