The far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) secured a historic victory in Austria’s general election, winning 29.21% of the vote. Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) came second with 26.48%. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, known for opposing arms aid to Ukraine and supporting lifting sanctions on Russia, expressed readiness to work with other parties. However, coalition formation may prove challenging, as mainstream parties are hesitant to collaborate with the far-right.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi issued a stern warning to the UK, Germany, and France, accusing them of making a “new strategic mistake” regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. In a social media post, Arakchi said, “Iran will give a tough and determined response to the violation of its rights,” criticizing the European trio for backing a resolution against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors.
Arakchi condemned the move as baseless, recalling past disputes in 2005 which led to the expansion of Iran’s uranium enrichment. “Have these three really not learned any lessons in the last twenty years?” he said.
Meanwhile, the IAEA reported on May 31 that Iran’s 60% enriched uranium stockpile had grown from 274.8 kg in February to 408.6 kg by May 17. In response, the UK, Germany, and France are reportedly preparing to refer Iran’s file to the UN Security Council, which could activate the “snapback” mechanism and reimpose UN sanctions.
TR