Iran and Europe to discuss nuclear deal in Geneva

Iranian state media reported that nuclear talks with Britain, France, and Germany are scheduled for Tuesday in Geneva.

Iran will meet with Britain, France, and Germany in Geneva on Tuesday for a new round of nuclear talks at the level of deputy foreign ministers, with the European Union also participating. This will be the second session since mid-June, when Israel conducted a 12-day strike on Iranian targets and the United States carried out attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The previous round of talks took place in Istanbul on July 25.

The discussions follow Iran’s suspension of cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, citing its failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes. The recent attacks disrupted Tehran’s nuclear negotiations with Washington. Meanwhile, the European trio has warned it may trigger a “snapback mechanism” under the 2015 nuclear deal, which would reimpose UN sanctions unless Iran curbs its uranium enrichment and restores cooperation with IAEA inspectors. Iran has rejected the legality of this move, accusing Europe of not fulfilling its commitments.

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action initially offered Iran sanctions relief in return for limits on its nuclear program, preventing it from developing nuclear weapons, which Tehran has always denied seeking. The deal faced challenges after the United States withdrew in 2018 under President Donald Trump and reimposed sanctions, prompting Iran to reduce its compliance.

Despite the US withdrawal, Britain, France, and Germany reaffirmed their commitment to the deal and continued trading with Iran, though the European mechanism to offset US sanctions has struggled, and many Western companies left the country. Iran continues to face high inflation and an economic crisis. European countries have indicated they may extend the snapback deadline if Iran re-engages with the IAEA and resumes talks with Washington.