Geneva (TDI): Iran is set to hold nuclear talks with France, Britain and Germany on Monday, just a week before US President-elect Donald Trump takes oath.
It will be the second round of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme in less than two months, following a discreet meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland, in November last year between Tehran and the three European powers, known as the E3, according to AFP.
“These are not negotiations,” the German foreign ministry said. Iran has similarly stressed that the talks are merely “consultations”.
The talks, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, will cover a “wide range of issues,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said during a weekly media briefing.
“The primary goal of these talks is to remove the sanctions” on Iran, he said, adding that Tehran was also “listening to the topics that the opposite parties want to discuss.”
On Thursday, France’s foreign ministry said the meeting was a sign that the E3 nations “are continuing to work towards a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, the progress of which is very problematic.”
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The negotiations come as Iran’s nuclear programme received renewed focus in light of Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House on January 20.
During his first term, he had pursued a policy of “maximum pressure”, withdrawing the United States from a landmark nuclear agreement which imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.
Also Read: Revival prospects of Iran Nuclear deal
Tehran adhered to the agreement until Washington’s withdrawal, but then started rolling back its commitments.
Efforts to Revive Deal
Efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal have since faltered and European officials have repeatedly expressed frustrations over Iran’s non-compliance.
Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the acceleration of Tehran’s nuclear programme is “bringing us very close to the breaking point”.
Iran later criticized the comments as “baseless” and “deceitful”.