Iran holds nuclear talks with Europe amid sanctions threat
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Iran and European powers hold nuclear talks in Istanbul amid US pressure and threats of 'snapback' sanctions.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sits for a meeting with the International Atomic Energy Agency director in Tehran on November 14, 2024. (Atta Kenare/AFP)
Iranian negotiators met with representatives from Britain, France, and Germany in Istanbul on Friday to discuss the future of the 2015 nuclear agreement, as threats of renewed sanctions hover over the talks.
The meeting follows a series of indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington and comes amid warnings from Iran that unilateral moves by European powers could trigger serious consequences.
A diplomatic source speaking to the Agence-France Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity confirmed that the Istanbul meeting began early Friday. The talks, held at the deputy foreign minister level, are not expected to continue into Saturday.
The meeting between Tehran and the three European powers, commonly referred to as the E3, comes as they weigh whether to invoke the 2015 deal’s “snapback” mechanism. The clause would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over alleged non-compliance, though the deadline to do so expires in October.
Such a move, Tehran warns, would only worsen global security. “This risks provoking a global nuclear proliferation crisis that would primarily affect Europeans themselves,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
Araghchi: Tehran will not yield on enrichment rights
Abbas Araghchi authored an op-ed in the French weekly Le Point, where he articulated Iran's readiness to "turn the page" in its relations with Europe.
However, he reiterated that Iran will not compromise on its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
“The dismantling of enrichment is not accepted by Iran,” Mohammad Eslami, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, stated earlier this week. He added that all nuclear activities remain under the supervision of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60%, still below the 90% required for weaponization. Iranian officials maintain that the program is strictly civilian and that enrichment levels are “non-negotiable,” though temporary limits on enrichment quantity and level may be discussed.
Separate track: US-Iran diplomacy continues
The Istanbul meeting follows a fourth round of indirect US-Iran nuclear talks, mediated by Oman, which Tehran described as “difficult but useful.” A US official told reporters the dialogue left Washington “encouraged.”
While US President Donald Trump claimed Thursday during a visit to Qatar that a deal was “getting close,” Iranian officials have dismissed reports that the US presented a formal written proposal. “We have not been given anything,” Araghchi said in response to an Axios report. Still, he affirmed Iran’s readiness to build trust and ensure transparency in exchange for sanctions relief.
“We are ready to build trust and transparency about our nuclear programme in response to the lifting of sanctions,” Araghchi told reporters.
Trump said that the US had extended an “olive branch,” warning, however, that the offer would not remain on the table indefinitely. “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” he remarked.
Ahead of the Istanbul meeting, China reaffirmed its support for a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue. “China remains committed to promoting a political and diplomatic settlement,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
Beijing also emphasized its opposition to illegal unilateral sanctions and expressed appreciation for Iran’s continued commitment to non-proliferation, “We value Iran’s commitment to not develop nuclear weapons, respect its peaceful use of nuclear energy, and oppose all illegal unilateral sanctions,” Lin added.
The 2015 JCPOA offered sanctions relief in exchange for strict limits on Iran’s nuclear program, enforced by the IAEA. However, the agreement unraveled in 2018 when Trump, during his first term, unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and financial sector.
Faced with European inaction and failure to abide by the agreement, Tehran responded by gradually scaling back its commitments under the accord while maintaining that its program remains peaceful.
