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Minggu, 28 Juli 2019

Talks held in Vienna to salvage Iran nuclear deal - BBC News

Talks to try to save the Iran nuclear deal have been held amid rising tensions over tankers in the Gulf.

After meeting officials from Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China in Vienna, a senior Iranian official said the atmosphere had been "constructive".

Tensions have soared since the United States withdrew from the 2015 accord last year and reimposed sanctions.

In recent weeks, Iran and Britain have seized a tanker each - putting further pressure on the 2015 accord.

Iran has also admitted breaching restrictions on its production of enriched uranium, used to make reactor fuel but also potentially nuclear bombs.

What was hoped for from the meeting?

The aim of the emergency talks was to ease recent tensions, and keep the 2015 agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), alive.

Earlier this month, the UK, French and German leaders had issued a joint statement saying they were "deeply troubled" by events in the Gulf, and said it was "time to act responsibly and seek a path to stop the escalation of tensions and resume dialogue".

Arriving at the meeting, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he considered the seizing of its oil tanker in breach of the JCPOA, and Iran also described as "provocative" British proposals for a European-led mission to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping route.

Mr Araghchi said after the meeting: "The atmosphere was constructive. Discussions were good. I cannot say that we resolved everything, I can say there are lots of commitments."

China's representative Fu Cong said all parties had "expressed their commitment to safeguard the JCPOA and... expressed their strong opposition against the US unilateral imposition of sanctions."

What do we know of tensions?

Tensions between the UK and Iran rose earlier this month after British forces seized the Iranian tanker, Grace 1, off Gibraltar. London alleged it was carrying oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions, a claim denied by Iran.

Several days later the British-flagged Stena Impero was impounded by Iran, which said it had been "violating international maritime rules".

Britain sent a second warship on Sunday to escort its ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Recent incidents have also included:

Why is the deal in trouble?

In 2018, President Donald Trump said he would unilaterally withdraw the US from the agreement which was signed by his predecessor Barack Obama.

The US then reinstated sanctions on Iran, as well as countries and companies do business with Iran.

The other parties criticised Mr Trump's decision and said they remained fully committed to the deal.

Earlier this month, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran had breached the deal's cap on stockpiling of low-enriched uranium.

Why do the limits on Iran's uranium enrichment matter?

Iran said it was responding to sanctions reinstated by the US after Mr Trump abandoned the deal. It has also confirmed it will break another of the limits imposed by the deal.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-49145174

2019-07-28 14:48:32Z
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Iran tanker seizure: UK warship HMS Duncan arrives in Gulf - BBC News

A second Royal Navy warship has arrived in the Gulf to protect British ships amid heightened tensions in the region.

HMS Duncan has joined frigate HMS Montrose to escort vessels sailing under the British flag through the Strait of Hormuz.

HMS Montrose has so far accompanied 35 vessels through the strait, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK continued to push for a diplomatic resolution to the situation.

He said: "Freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is vital not just to the UK, but also our international partners and allies.

"Merchant ships must be free to travel lawfully and trade safely, anywhere in the world."

Mr Wallace added the Royal Navy will continue to provide a safeguard for UK vessels "until this is the reality".

HMS Duncan is a Type 45 Destroyer which the Royal Navy describes as "among the most advanced warships ever built".

Why have tensions escalated?

Earlier this month, British Royal Marines helped seize Iranian tanker Grace 1 near Gibraltar which was suspected of breaking EU sanctions, infuriating Iran.

In response, Tehran threatened to capture a British oil tanker.

On 19 July, British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero was seized by Iran's Revolutionary Guard in the key shipping route.

A second British-linked tanker, the MV Mesdar, was also boarded by armed guards but was released.

Tehran said the Stena Impero was "violating international maritime rules".

HMS Montrose was alerted but it was too far away to stop the seizure.

Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said the tanker was captured after it collided with a fishing boat and failed to respond to calls from the smaller craft.

But the then foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said it was seized in Omani waters in "clear contravention of international law" and then forced to sail into Iran.

The tanker's Swedish owners, Stena Bulk, said it had been complying with regulations and had been in international waters.

Stena Bulk said the 23 crew members, who are Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino, are in good health and have met with officials from their respective countries.

How has the UK reacted?

The then foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt called the seizure of the Stena Impero "state piracy".

But he insisted: "Our priority continues to be to find a way to de-escalate the situation."

Speaking to the BBC, former Cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith described the UK-flagged ship's capture as a "major failure" by the UK.

The then defence minister Tobias Ellwood told Sky News "it is impossible simply to escort each individual vessel".

What has Iran said?

Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif said in a tweet the UK "must cease being an accessory to #EconomicTerrorism of the US".

He said Iran guarantees the security of the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and insisted its action were to "uphold international maritime rules".

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has indicated the Stena Imepero could be released if the UK returns the Grace 1.

In a statement on his website he said: "We are not going to continue tensions with some European countries and if they are committed to international frameworks and abandon some actions, including what they did in Gibraltar, they will receive a proper response from Iran".

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-49144717

2019-07-28 13:40:01Z
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No-deal Brexit now 'assumed' by government, says Gove - BBC News

The government is now "working on the assumption" of a no-deal Brexit, Michael Gove has said.

Mr Gove said his team still aimed to come to an agreement with Brussels but, writing in the Sunday Times, he added: "No deal is now a very real prospect."

Mr Johnson has made Mr Gove responsible for planning a no-deal Brexit.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told Mr Gove to chair meetings seven days a week until Brexit is delivered, according to the paper.

Mr Gove said tweaks to Theresa May's withdrawal agreement - which was approved by the EU but resoundingly rejected by Parliament - would not be enough.

"You can't just reheat the dish that's been sent back and expect that will make it more palatable," he wrote.

He added he hoped EU leaders might yet open up to the idea of striking a new deal, "but we must operate on the assumption that they will not".

"While we are optimistic about the future, we are realistic about the need to plan for every eventuality."

Mr Gove highlighted a major flaw of Mrs May's deal as the Irish backstop plan - a measure designed to prevent the introduction of a hard border on the island of Ireland.

So far the backstop has proved a sticking point in the Brexit negotiations.

A no-deal Brexit would mean the UK leaving the EU and cutting ties immediately, with no agreement in place.

The UK would follow World Trade Organization rules if it wanted to trade with the EU and other countries, while also trying to negotiate free-trade deals.

But with Britain outside the EU, there could be physical checkpoints to monitor people and goods crossing in and out of the UK - something ruled out by the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland.

No-confidence vote

Speaking to Sky's Sophy Ridge, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he would do everything to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

He reiterated his call for a new referendum - insisting he would still hold one if Labour were in power - and said, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, Labour would campaign to remain in the EU.

Mr Corbyn also said he would look at whether to call a no-confidence vote in the government after Parliament returns in September.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson told Sky that, in the event of a general election, her party's message would be: "Stop Brexit, stop Boris and start renewing our country."

Mr Gove is one of several new ministers pressing on with Brexit preparations since joining Mr Johnson's cabinet earlier this week.

Newly appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rishi Sunak, told Sky: "We're turbo-charging preparations for no-deal, that is now the government's number one priority."

He said if the EU would not reopen discussions about the Irish backstop plan then "it's right that we prepare properly, with conviction, and importantly with the financial resources that the Treasury will now supply properly".

Chancellor Sajid Javid has pledged extra funding to help prepare for a no-deal scenario.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Javid said there would be "significant extra funding" for 500 new Border Force officers and "possible" improved infrastructure at British ports.

Mr Javid is expected to pledge more money for projects next week.

Boris Johnson's government

Who is in charge of what?

Meanwhile, there have been reports of more dissatisfaction within the Conservative Party, as MPs opposed to a no-deal Brexit continue to consider ways to avoid it.

The Observer alleges former chancellor Philip Hammond held private talks with Labour's Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer before Mr Johnson became prime minister.

The pair met shortly after Mr Hammond resigned from the government, the paper said.

Mr Starmer told the paper that work to build "a strong cross-party alliance" to prevent a no-deal Brexit would "intensify over the summer".

But despite several Tory MPs voicing their opposition to Mr Johnson in his first week in Downing Street, an opinion poll has suggested a recent boost in support for the party.

Since Mr Johnson took office on Wednesday the Conservatives have gained 10 points to stand at 30%, a survey for the Mail on Sunday showed.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49141375

2019-07-28 10:02:50Z
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