Tehran (TDI): Iran will hold fresh talks next week with Britain, France, and Germany on its nuclear program, officials confirmed Friday, as European powers warned Tehran that time was running out to avert the reimposition of UN sanctions.
The meeting comes amid growing tensions after Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in July, citing the watchdog’s failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities during Tehran’s 12-day war with Israel.
The three European states, all signatories to the 2015 nuclear accord, have threatened to invoke the “snapback mechanism” by the end of August. The move would restore sweeping UN sanctions lifted under the deal unless Iran curbs uranium enrichment and resumes cooperation with international inspectors.
According to Iran’s foreign ministry, Deputy Foreign Ministers will meet with their European counterparts and the EU on Tuesday. The announcement followed a phone call between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and senior European diplomats.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot confirmed the development, saying he had jointly spoken with his British and German counterparts and the EU’s foreign policy chief. “Time is running out. A new meeting will take place next week on this issue,” Barrot said in a statement.
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Germany’s top diplomat Johann Wadephul added that Berlin remained “committed to diplomacy but time is very short,” warning that Iran must engage “substantively” to avoid snapback sanctions. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas echoed the warning, stressing Iran’s cooperation with both the IAEA and the United States was essential.
It was not immediately clear where the next round of talks would be held. The parties last met in late July at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul, where discussions were described as “frank.”
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The 2015 nuclear deal was designed to block Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, a goal Tehran insists it has never pursued. The agreement unravelled in 2018 after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the accord and reimposed sanctions, leaving Iran accusing Europe of failing to uphold its end of the bargain.
Iran has repeatedly warned against activating the snapback clause. Foreign Minister Araghchi on Friday reiterated Tehran’s position, calling the European countries “legally and morally unqualified” to use the mechanism and warning of “serious consequences” if they proceed.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
