WarSclerotic

EU says no Iran deal without reckoning of nuclear activity | The Times of Israel.

Officials say it’s ‘essential’ Tehran cooperate with stalled probe into allegations it worked on atomic arms

Federica Mogherini, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, speaks to journalists after addressing the Security Council on May 11, 2015. UN/Mark Garten)

VIENNA — Iran must cooperate with a stalled UN probe of suspicions that it worked on atomic arms if the country wants a nuclear deal that will see removal of sanctions, the European Union said Monday.

The cautionary EU statement comes ahead of a June 30 target date for such an agreement.

It was obtained by The Associated Press ahead of its delivery at a meeting of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency that opens Monday.

Iran denies any work on — or interest in — nuclear arms and has fended off IAEA demands for cooperation with its investigation.

The EU statement says getting to the bottom of the allegations “will be essential” to a nuclear deal.

Iran also would have to accept limits on its present nuclear activities.

US President Barack Obama is expected to huddle with his European counterparts over the emerging Iranian nuclear deal while at the G7 summit of world leaders in Germany this week.

The president was expected to try to push French President Francois Hollande on dropping some reservations about the pact in a meeting on the sidelines of the summit Monday.

France at times has taken a harder line and expressed more skepticism than Washington on the Iran negotiations.

Richard Fontaine, president of the Center for New American Security who worked on foreign policy in President George W. Bush’s White House, said he would advise Obama to deliver a direct message to Hollande.

“What is it going to take to get you back on the bus? Because let’s keep these disagreements behind closed doors, rather than doing this in the press, which is harmful to our position,” Fontaine said.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report

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