Nournews: The meeting of deputy foreign ministers from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the three European signatories of the JCPOA — the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — was held on Friday at the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul. According to observers, this was not merely a diplomatic dialogue but a battlefield to gauge Europe’s real stance on Iran’s nuclear program. These talks came at a time of heightened tensions following the 12-day war and U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continues its efforts to pressure Iran into allowing the return of its inspectors.
Representing Iran in the talks were Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister for International Affairs, and Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs. The main focus of the negotiations was the threat from the three European countries to activate the snapback mechanism if a new agreement is not reached by the end of August.
Nevertheless, Tehran’s official position was clearly and firmly stated:
“Talks of extending Resolution 2231 are baseless and meaningless, and Europe lacks the legal authority to reinstate UN Security Council sanctions.”
According to Iranian officials, these negotiations offer Europe an opportunity to make amends for the past and step out of its marginal role.
On the sidelines of the talks, reporters waited outside the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul for the meeting to conclude — a meeting that, according to Western observers, could potentially unlock several political deadlocks in the nuclear case, caused largely by the excessive and coercive demands of Western powers.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, in candid remarks about the meeting, referred to the post-war atmosphere and urged the European troika to seize this “opportunity to correct their stance” and to distance themselves from full alignment with Washington’s policies.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, currently in Singapore, once again called on Iran to facilitate the resumption of inspections. He expressed hope that IAEA inspectors could return to Iran before the end of this year and said preliminary talks toward that end have already begun. However, Iran has emphasized that the upcoming visit by the Agency’s Deputy Director General to Tehran will be strictly technical and that no nuclear site visits are planned during the trip.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated yesterday that uranium enrichment will continue with full strength — whether within the framework of a new agreement or without one. He also affirmed continued cooperation with the IAEA under the oversight of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, emphasizing that safety conditions at the nuclear sites damaged in recent attacks must be carefully assessed before any inspectors can return.
Sources close to the Iranian delegation say that Tehran is prepared to offer new proposals to resolve misunderstandings but will view any political pressure or threat of sanctions as a hostile act.
Despite the tense atmosphere, observers remain hopeful that the Istanbul negotiations could open a new window for reviving diplomacy — a path whose future depends directly on Europe’s decision to maintain its independence from the unilateral policies of the United States.
NOURNEWS