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Europe powers urge Iran to keep up diplomacy despite Israeli strikes / Photo: © AFP
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Europe powers urge Iran to keep up diplomacy despite Israeli strikes
European powers on Friday urged Iran to revive diplomatic efforts with the United States to find a solution in the standoff over its nuclear programme, but Tehran warned it could only consider diplomacy once Israel halted its bombardment of the Islamic republic.
British, French, German and EU top diplomats held talks in Geneva with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, giving diplomacy a chance one week after Israel started its bombardment.
"The good result today is that we leave the room with the impression that the Iranian side is ready to further discuss all the important questions," said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in a statement alongside his European counterparts.
"It is of great importance that the United States takes part in these negotiations and the solution," he added.
The statements read by all four top diplomats in their native languages after the talks expressed hope of further progress but did not make any mention of a breakthrough.
Araghchi, making his first trip outside Iran since the bombardment began, said Tehran was ready to "consider diplomacy" again only once Israel's "aggression is stopped".
"In this regard I made it crystal clear that Iran's defence capabilities are not negotiable," he said.
"We support the continuation of discussion... and express our readiness to meet again in the near future," he said.
- 'Urgently find a solution' -
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "We are keen to continue ongoing discussions and negotiations with Iran, and we urge Iran to continue their talks with the United States."
"This is a perilous moment, and it is hugely important that we don't see regional escalation of this conflict," he added.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said there "can be no definitive solution through military means to the Iran nuclear problem. Military operations can delay it but they cannot eliminate it".
After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not rule out killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Barrot also warned: "It is illusory and dangerous to want to impose a regime change from the outside. It is up to the people to decide their own destiny."
"We invited the Iranian minister to consider negotiations with all sides, including the United States, without awaiting the cessation of strikes, which we also hope for," he said.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas added: "Today the regional escalation benefits no-one. We must keep the discussions open."
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said earlier the Iranian delegation "emphasised that Iran has not left the negotiating table".
Israel began its campaign on Friday last week saying the operation was aimed at halting Tehran from obtaining an atomic bomb, an ambition Iran denies having. Iran has in response launched strikes on Israel.
bur-dt-ah-sjw/jj
M. Taylor--BTZ
