The UK, France, and Germany are actively working to schedule fresh talks with Iran concerning its nuclear programme in the coming days, according to a German diplomatic source speaking to AFP on Sunday.
The source confirmed that the three nations, collectively known as the E3, “are in contact with Iran to schedule further talks for the coming week.” This diplomatic push follows explicit warnings from the European trio that international sanctions against Tehran could be reactivated if negotiations does not resume promptly.
The urgency stems from a recent high-level conversation. On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held discussions via telephone with his counterparts from Britain, France, Germany, and European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
During this exchange, the European representatives issued a stark warning: if Iran fails to return to the negotiating table swiftly, they are prepared to trigger the “snapback” mechanism. This mechanism would reinstate the stringent United Nations sanctions that were lifted under the landmark 2015 nuclear accord, officially termed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
This diplomatic flurry occurs against a backdrop of stalled progress. Prior to the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran on 13 June, Iran and the United States had engaged in several rounds of nuclear negotiations facilitated by Omani mediators. However, the talks were effectively terminated by US President Donald Trump’s subsequent decision to join Israel in conducting strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The German diplomatic source reiterated the core objective driving European efforts:
Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. That is why Germany, France and the United Kingdom are continuing to work intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear programme.
Iran consistently denies any ambition to develop nuclear weapons, maintaining that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful purposes.
The 2015 JCPOA, agreed between Iran and world powers including the E3 and the US, imposed significant restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for comprehensive sanctions relief. However, the painstakingly negotiated agreement began to unravel in 2018 during Trump’s first presidency when the United States unilaterally withdrew from the pact and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran.
