A European summit with Iran failed to deliver a breakthrough on Friday despite all sides agreeing to continue discussions that could end the conflict.
Germany, France, the UK and the EU urged Iran to revive diplomatic negotiations with Washington. Iran said it would only consider diplomacy once Israel put an end to its bombing campaign.
“Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once the aggression is stopped,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after the meeting. “I make it crystal clear that Iran's defence capabilities are non-negotiable.”
Speaking shortly after the meeting, US President Donald Trump appeared to dismiss European diplomatic efforts. “We've been speaking to Iran and we'll see what happens,” he said, adding that he believed that talks in Geneva had not helped.
“Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe, Iran wants to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help on this one.”
Talks were convened in Geneva an attempt to contain the Israel-Iran war, with Europeans saying diplomacy must prevail despite the US appearing to weigh its military options.
“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,” said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
Mr Trump also reiterated criticism against Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, saying she was wrong to say in March that Iran was not seeking to build a nuclear weapon. Iran was weeks or months from having a nuclear weapon, according to Mr Trump.
His office on Thursday said that he would make a decision on whether the US will join Israel’s war on Iran “in the next two weeks”, though on Friday, he called that time frame “the maximum”.
In a joint statement, European powers took a firm line with Iran as they “reiterated their long-standing concerns about Iran’s expansion of its nuclear programme, which has no credible civilian purpose”.
“They shared their support for discussions to continue and welcomed continuing US efforts to seek a negotiated solution. They expressed their willingness to meet again in the future,” said the statement.
Mr Araghchi, who travelled out of his country for the first time since the war erupted, also said he was “in favour of continuing discussions with the E3 [Germany, France, the UK] and the European Union”.
A 'perilous moment'
Israel appears to show little appetite to put an end to hostilities. Leaders have threatened to kill Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel's envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, told the UN Security Council his country would not stop its attacks “until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled”.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the war as a “perilous moment”.
“It is hugely important that we don’t see regional escalation of this conflict,” he said.
Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council before meeting his European counterparts in Geneva, Mr Araghchi described Israel's attacks on Iran last week as a “betrayal of diplomacy”.
The attacks caused the cancellation of the sixth round of US-Iran talks in Oman.
“We were supposed to meet the Americans on June 15 to craft a very promising agreement for a peaceful resolution of issues fabricated over our peaceful nuclear programme,” Mr Araghchi said.
Israel began attacking Iran on June 13, saying it aimed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme does not have military purposes – a claim rejected by western countries and Israel.
Diplomacy first
Europeans argue that they are best placed to negotiate with Tehran, pointing at Mr Trump's withdrawal under his previous mandate of a 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
“Military operations can delay a nuclear programme but in no way eliminate it,” Mr Barrot said.
He also warned against intentions laid out by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to force regime change in Iran.
“We know well, having seen it at work in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, how illusory and dangerous it is to want to impose regime change from the outside,” Mr Barrot said.
The meeting was preceded by a lunch attended by the European ministers, without Mr Araghchi, during which they reviewed preparatory discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Mr Barrot's office said Mr Rubio had told him that the US is ready for direct contact with Iranians “at any time”.
The Europeans appeared to have delivered on Israeli demands to request a complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear programme and its ballistic missile programme, as well as its support of proxy groups throughout the Middle East. Speaking earlier in the day, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris's proposal to Iran would link all three issues in one package.
Mr Macron said he wanted Iran to move towards “zero nuclear enrichment”. This represents an alignment with previous requests made by Mr Trump and Mr Netanyahu.
France had previously never deviated from the position agreed in the JCPOA, which capped enrichment activities at 3.67 per cent.
Those close to the Israeli position assess that the capability of enrichment to the lower level of 3.67 per cent in the JCPOA means it is too easy to breach by enriching to a higher level. Israel says Iran could pursue a civilian nuclear programme without conducting enrichment on home soil.
This would represent a repudiation of the long-standing Iranian position that all countries are entitled to enrich uranium under UN safeguards and international treaties.
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
