European powers plan new round of nuclear talks with Iran

Britain, France, and Germany are preparing to hold a new round of discussions with Iran over its nuclear program in the coming days, a German diplomatic source confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Sunday.

The three European powers, known collectively as the E3, “are in contact with Iran to schedule further talks for the coming week,” the source said. The move follows renewed warnings from the E3 that international sanctions suspended under a 2015 nuclear agreement could be reinstated if Tehran does not return to negotiations.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency also reported that Tehran had agreed to engage with the European trio, citing an unnamed official. Discussions are ongoing to determine the date and location of the talks.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call with his British, French, and German counterparts, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. During the call, the Europeans cautioned Iran that they could trigger the so-called “snapback” mechanism to restore sanctions lifted under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if no progress is made.

“Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. That is why Germany, France and the United Kingdom are continuing to work intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme,” the German source said.

Iran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons.

The JCPOA, agreed in 2015, imposed strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the accord began unraveling in 2018 when then-U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions.

Efforts to revive talks suffered another blow after June 13, when 'Israel' launched a 12-day offensive against Iran. Washington, under Trump, joined 'Israel' in striking Iranian nuclear facilities, effectively halting indirect negotiations mediated by Oman.

“If no solution is reached over the summer, snapback remains an option for the E3,” the German source added.