Iran and European Nations Engage in Nuclear Talks Amid Concerns Over Potential Future Sanctions

Iran expressed strong opposition on Friday to the idea of extending a United Nations resolution linked to the 2015 nuclear deal. This statement came amid the country’s first in-person discussions with Western nations since recent bombings conducted by Israel and the U.S. last month. Delegations from Iran, the European Union, and the E3 group—which includes France, Britain, and Germany—gathered at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. The talks have been viewed as a potential opportunity to resume inspections by the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

The remaining parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement, which the U.S. exited in 2018, included the European nations, as well as China and Russia. This agreement lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear program. A crucial deadline of October 18 is approaching, when the resolution that governs this deal will expire, leading to the automatic lifting of all U.N. sanctions unless a “snapback” mechanism is activated at least 30 days beforehand. To facilitate this process, the E3 countries have set a diplomatic revival deadline of the end of August.

They seek Iran’s commitment on several vital matters, including possible discussions with Washington, full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and clarifying the status of 880 pounds of near-weapons grade uranium, which remains unaccounted for. Just before the negotiations commenced, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei remarked to state media that discussions surrounding the extension of U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 were “meaningless and baseless.” Meanwhile, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi expressed optimism about the potential for nuclear inspection visits to resume this year, emphasizing the importance of negotiating technical details with Iran. The context of these talks included a series of discussions held by the U.S. with Iran prior to airstrikes in June.

However, current and former U.S. officials have indicated that these strikes did not annihilate Iran’s nuclear capabilities as previously claimed. While Iran insists its nuclear agenda is intended for peaceful uses, diplomatic engagement with the U.S. appears unlikely for the foreseeable future.