Geneva (TDI): A much-anticipated meeting between Iran’s top diplomat and senior European officials ended Friday with cautious signs of willingness to continue dialogue, but little in the way of immediate progress as the region remains on edge following a week of hostilities between Israel and Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with counterparts from Britain, France, Germany, and the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas at a hotel in Geneva. The talks, which lasted over three hours, marked the first direct contact between Iranian and Western diplomats since the latest escalation erupted.
While no major announcements followed the session, the tone afterward suggested that diplomatic channels may still have some life.
“We left the room with the sense that the Iranian side is, in principle, open to continuing talks,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. He described the discussions as “serious and substantive.”
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British Foreign Secretary David Lammy echoed that sentiment. “We are prepared to maintain dialogue with Iran, and we strongly encouraged Tehran to resume its discussions with the United States,” he said. “Our position remains clear, Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon.”
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot warned against relying solely on military solutions. “Airstrikes might delay Iran’s nuclear work,” he said, “but history has shown, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, that forced regime change leads to chaos.”
Barrot noted that European ministers urged Iran to consider negotiations with all parties involved, including the US, without waiting for an end to the ongoing strikes.
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He added that Iran’s foreign minister was “open to discussing all issues, including some previously not on the table,” and appeared willing to “build on the conversation we began today.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also struck a hopeful tone. “We agreed to keep the door open, not just for nuclear talks, but to address broader concerns,” she said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Araghchi confirmed Iran’s support for continuing engagement with the E3 and the EU. “We are ready to meet again soon,” he said. However, he criticized European countries for what he described as a lack of condemnation of recent Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.
“We are deeply concerned by the silence,” Araghchi added, calling the strikes a violation of international norms.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
