Iran’s foreign minister calls Munich Security Conference a ‘circus’ amid nuclear tensions

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticised the Munich Security Conference, accusing European powers of losing influence in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Speaking in a post on the social media platform X on Saturday, Araghchi said the annual security gathering had “turned into the Munich Circus” when it comes to Iran, blaming the European Union and Germany for what he described as ineffective regional policies.

He said Europe has become “completely absent from the scene” despite once playing a central diplomatic role, adding that “the paralysis and loss of influence of the European Union and the E3 is evident in the ongoing talks on the Iranian nuclear programme.”

Araghchi added that “our friends in the region are far more effective and useful than the European troika, which stands on the sidelines,” and stressed that Germany “has fully handed over its regional policies to Israel.”

He further argued that “the European Union’s loss of weight is clearly demonstrated by its inability to influence the course of the nuclear negotiations.”

The remarks came as the 62nd Munich Security Conference opened on Friday, drawing more than 60 heads of state and government alongside roughly 100 foreign and defence ministers.

On the sidelines of the conference, Reza Pahlavi – the son of Iran’s former monarch – alleged that US military intervention could help accelerate political change inside Iran and claimed Washington should avoid prolonged negotiations with Tehran over a nuclear deal. Iranian officials are barred from attending the conference.

“It’s a matter of time. We are hoping that this attack will expedite the process and the people can be finally back in the streets and take it all the way to the ultimate regime’s downfall,” said Pahlavi, who lives in the United States and has remained outside Iran since the 1979 Iranian revolution that toppled his father, the Shah.

His remarks highlight the widening divide between Iran’s current leadership and exiled opposition figures over the future direction of the country, as international discussions over the nuclear file and regional tensions continue.

Iran’s opposition remains deeply divided among competing groups and ideological factions – including monarchists aligned with Pahlavi – and maintains only a limited organised presence within the Islamic Republic.