Iran is “playing with fire” with its recent breaches of the 2015 nuclear deal, Germany said as ministers from European powers and the US held talks over Tehran on Thursday.
The importance of the transatlantic partnership in dealing with the security, climate, economic, health and other challenges the world faces was also reaffirmed.
Ministers expressed their joint determination to defuse tension in the region and to bring about a swift end to the war in Yemen.
There was also strong condemnation of the recent rocket attacks in Erbil, northern Iraq, and the coup in Myanmar.
The ministers repeated the warning that attacks on US, coalition and Nato forces would not be tolerated
Those present also urged Iran to release all "arbitrarily detained nationals and reunite them with their families".
This included British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, whose detention is due to expire on March 7.
The more pressure is applied, the more difficult it gets to find a political solution,
But it was Iran's increased nuclear activity that drew the most criticism.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Iran was jeopardising a return to the 2015 nuclear accord with world powers through its actions.
Tehran is suspected of taking another step towards making a nuclear weapon.
"The more pressure is applied, the more difficult it gets to find a political solution," Mr Maas said.
He said negotiations "are being significantly complicated at the moment because Iran obviously does not seek de-escalation but escalation, and this is playing with fire”.
Iran has recently increased production of uranium enriched up to 20 per cent and uranium metal.
This had "no credible civil justification", said the European nations and the US in a joint statement after the meeting.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appeared by video at the Paris meeting, which was hosted by French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and included Mr Maas and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
In 2018, US president Donald Trump withdraw the US from the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
His successor Joe Biden indicated his readiness to return to the agreement, but only if Iran returns to its terms.
Tehran has refused to do so unless the sanctions are lifted.
Last week the three European countries said Tehran was “undermining the opportunity for renewed diplomacy to fully realise the objectives of the [deal]” after its latest breach.
The nuclear deal signed in Vienna in 2015 was based on Iran agreeing to limits on its atomic programme, in exchange for a gradual easing of international sanctions.
The diplomacy is expected to be hugely delicate and could be further derailed by the deadline set under a bill adopted by the Iranian Parliament in December after the killing of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, which Tehran blamed on Israel.
Iran will restrict some UN nuclear agency inspections by February 21 if the US does not lift the sanctions imposed since 2018.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi will travel to Tehran on Saturday for talks with authorities to find a solution for continuing inspections in the country, the agency said.
It said that the move would have "a serious impact on the IAEA's verification and monitoring activities in the country".
In Washington, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Iran should provide "full and timely co-operation" with the IAEA and reverse its recent steps that breached the accord.
The IAEA said last week that Iran had started producing uranium metal, a new breach of the accord, intensifying concerns that it was getting closer to being able to make a nuclear weapon.
"Iran's nuclear programme is growing by the day, as the time it would take to enrich enough uranium for a single nuclear weapon shrinks," said Ali Vaez, Iran director at the International Crisis Group, a think tank formerly run by the new US Iran envoy, Robert Malley.
Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei oversees the country's nuclear policy but negotiators regard the country's June presidential elections as a time pressure factor.
Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian President, is an advocate of nuclear diplomacy with global powers.
Mr Rouhani is scheduled to step down after serving the maximum two consecutive terms.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Read more about the coronavirus
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Victims%20of%20the%202018%20Parkland%20school%20shooting
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2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
SHALASH%20THE%20IRAQI
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Shalash%3Cbr%3ETranslator%3A%20Luke%20Leafgren%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20352%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20And%20Other%20Stories%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Top 5 concerns globally:
1. Unemployment
2. Spread of infectious diseases
3. Fiscal crises
4. Cyber attacks
5. Profound social instability
Top 5 concerns in the Mena region
1. Energy price shock
2. Fiscal crises
3. Spread of infectious diseases
4. Unmanageable inflation
5. Cyber attacks
Source: World Economic Foundation
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
more from Janine di Giovanni
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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