A meeting was convened in Geneva on Friday bringing together Iran and the European Troika group, made up of France, Germany, and the UK, for their Deputy Foreign Ministers to discuss the Iranian nuclear file and the recent sanctions imposed on Iran by the European Union.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran expects talks with European powers in Geneva to be “difficult and serious”, adding that Russia and China will be briefed on the meeting's outcomes next week.

While the meetings were not open to the media, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, emphasized after his meeting with Enrique Mora, the Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service, that "the European Union must cease its irresponsible behavior towards international issues and challenges."

Gharibabadi revealed that the discussions addressed a wide range of issues, including the future of nuclear negotiations and the potential for sanctions relief, amid recent developments.

Gharibabadi emphasized that the European Union must stop its "arrogant and irresponsible behavior," adding that Europe should not project its own internal issues, particularly those surrounding the Ukraine war, onto others.

He also criticized Europe's moral authority, stating, "Europe lacks the ethical standing to advise others on human rights, especially considering the complicity of its three major nations in the genocide in Gaza."

The Iranian diplomat further noted that Europe had long distanced itself from playing an active role in the Iranian nuclear talks, citing a lack of responsibility and self-assurance.

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