Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, on Sunday criticized the Group of Seven’s recent statement regarding Iran’s nuclear activities, urging the G7 to distance itself from what he described as “destructive policies of the past.”
The G7, comprised of major industrialized nations, had issued a statement earlier condemning Iran’s recent escalation in its nuclear enrichment program. The statement expressed concerns over Iran’s rapid installation of additional uranium-enriching centrifuges at its Fordow site and its decision to set up others, actions detailed in a recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In response to the G7’s warning against further advancement of its nuclear activities, Kanaani asserted that attempts to link Iran’s activities to the conflict in Ukraine were politically motivated. He emphasized that Iran’s cooperation with Russia was not connected to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and criticized what he called “biased political goals” behind efforts to impose new measures on Tehran.
“Any attempt to link the war in Ukraine to the bilateral cooperation between Iran and Russia is an act with only biased political goals,” Kanaani said in a statement, adding, “Some countries are resorting to false claims to continue sanctions against Iran,” according to ArabNews.com.
Last week, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, passed a resolution calling on Iran to increase its cooperation with inspectors and reverse its decision to bar some inspections. The resolution highlighted growing international concerns over Iran’s nuclear capabilities and transparency.
Iran has recently increased its uranium enrichment to up to 60% purity, a significant step toward weapons-grade uranium, according to the IAEA’s metrics. The agency’s report also indicated that Iran now possesses enough enriched material that, if further processed, could potentially be used to produce three nuclear weapons.
Kanaani reiterated Iran’s commitment to what he termed “constructive interaction and technical cooperation” with the IAEA but criticized the watchdog’s recent resolution as “politically biased.” Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, such as energy production and medical research.
The escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear activities come amid broader geopolitical shifts, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and efforts by global powers to contain nuclear proliferation. The G7 statement underscored international anxieties about Iran’s nuclear ambitions and signaled potential diplomatic and economic repercussions if Iran continues to advance its nuclear capabilities unchecked.
For now, Iran’s response to the G7’s statement in the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland reflects a firm stance against what it perceives as unwarranted interference in its domestic nuclear policies and underscores its commitment to defending its sovereign right to nuclear development within the bounds of international law.
