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Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced on Wednesday that a new round of talks concerning Tehran’s nuclear programme is expected to take place with European powers in Turkey later this week. Speaking to reporters in Tehran, Araghchi stated that deputy foreign ministers from Iran, Britain, France, and Germany are likely to meet in Istanbul on Friday.
French diplomatic sources confirmed to AFP that the meeting is indeed planned for Friday in Istanbul, adding that it will occur at the level of political directors. However, official confirmation has yet to come from London or Berlin. The discussions had initially been scheduled for earlier this month but were postponed.
Since late last year, Iran has held several low-profile discussions with the three European nations, most recently in Geneva in February, as part of broader diplomatic efforts ahead of indirect negotiations with the United States, which began on 12 April.
“While we continue the dialogue with the United States, we are also ready to talk with the Europeans,” Araghchi said. He criticised the Europeans for becoming “somewhat isolated” in the negotiations due to their policies, though he did not expand on the comment.
“We do not want such a situation and that’s why we have continued our negotiations with them,” he added.
This anticipated meeting comes shortly after Oman-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington on Sunday. Those discussions marked the fourth round of indirect contacts between the two longstanding adversaries — the highest level of engagement since former US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. While voicing support for nuclear diplomacy, he has also signalled that military action remains a possibility should negotiations fail.
Western governments, including the US, have long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear activities are purely for civilian purposes.
The 2015 nuclear agreement — signed by Iran along with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the US — included a “snapback” clause allowing for the automatic reinstatement of UN sanctions in cases of non-compliance. That clause is due to expire in October. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has warned that France would not hesitate to restore sanctions if European security interests are not protected.
Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60%, significantly above the 3.67% limit agreed in 2015 but below the 90% required for weapons-grade material. While Tehran insists its enrichment programme is “non-negotiable,” the US maintains that this is a red line, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for the dismantling of all enrichment facilities in Iran.
