Weekly Briefing: Vienna Iran Nuclear Talks Back on Track

Iran Nuclear Talks

The Iranian government, the U.S., and the European Union have resumed their months-long indirect negotiations over Tehran's tattered nuclear deal, despite international inspectors confirming the Iranian regime has begun expanding uranium enrichment.

An Iranian delegation is set to leave for Vienna for a continuation of nuclear negotiations. Chief negotiator Ali Bagheri and his team will set off within the next few hours, the Iranian government announced today.

Iran says it is technically capable of producing a nuclear bomb. But the country does not intend to do so, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed Eslami.

Russo-Ukrainian War

The Ukrainian ambassador, Vasyl Khymynets, recently criticised the Austrian police. The police had previously held an internal training event on the subject of Ukraine. Among others, the "Coordination Council of the Organisation of Russian Compatriots" was invited to the event, which played down the war and spread "Russian propaganda".

In the first half of 2022, Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI), which is heavily active in Eastern Europe, achieved a significant profit despite the Ukrainian conflict. Its Bulgarian subsidiary was sold in June, which was a major contributing factor.

Diplomacy in Vienna and the World

Every year, the United States government publishes a report that informs US companies and investors about the business climate in more than 160 countries and economies, including Austria. In this US State Department report, business officials at embassies and missions around the world prepare and analyse a variety of economies that are or could be markets for US companies of all sizes.

For the first time, FIFA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have conducted a joint international training program to support FIFA's 211 member associations in the fight against match-fixing in football.

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is based in Vienna and aims to unify and actively promote international trade law.

The UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty tenth review conference is held in New York after a two-year delay caused by the CoV pandemic. Even before Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, nuclear disarmament had stalled. Now, reducing the nearly 13,000 nuclear weapons worldwide is becoming even more difficult.

Haitham Al-Ghais of Kuwait has taken over the position of Secretary General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). He replaces Mohammed Barkindo, who died unexpectedly in July.

Austrian Diplomacy towards Europe

Viktor Orban, the polarising Prime Minister of Hungary, met with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer last week in Vienna. The two statesmen expressed friendship, but also disagreed on some issues.

What Else Happened This Week?

The Czech Embassy building in Vienna has a rich history dating back to the 19th century. Read the captivating story of this beautiful building.

The Republic of Singapore awarded the "Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2020" to the City of Vienna. Mayor Michael Ludwig accepted the internationally renowned award, during the World Cities Summit 2022 in Singapore.

In Europe, the Nazis slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Sinti and Roma people. Prominent Austrian politicians, like Alexander Van der Bellen and Michael Ludwig, attended the commemoration of the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. The OSCE also declared the importance of this day and commemorated the victims.

A global peace index is published every year by the Institute for Economics & Peace. The index evaluates the state of peace around the world and identifies the countries whose peace is highest and lowest. Austria achieved a top result this year.