Iran will hold nuclear talks with European countries on Friday for the first time since the conflict with Israel.
The meeting will be attended by the deputy foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, countries that previously participated in the development of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme. The talks will take place at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul.
The so-called E3 group is threatening to reinstate international sanctions against Iran by the end of the summer if a new nuclear agreement with Tehran is not reached. In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry has demanded that London, Paris and Berlin abandon the idea of renewing sanctions and show responsibility if they really want to play a constructive role in the negotiations.
As a measure of pressure, Iranian parliamentarians have prepared a bill on the country’s withdrawal from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the sanctions imposed by the E3 are reinstated.
Consultations with European countries are taking place against the backdrop of a potential resumption of nuclear talks between Iran and the US.
Conflict and negotiations
Earlier, the parties held five rounds of indirect dialogue mediated by Oman. The sixth round, scheduled for June 15, was cancelled due to military tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
The conflict was triggered by accusations that Iran was developing a secret military nuclear programme. As a result of air strikes, first by Israel and then by the US, Iranian nuclear facilities became the main targets.
Iranian officials categorically deny the allegations of a covert nuclear programme and stress Tehran’s readiness to return to the negotiating table with Washington, but without preconditions. In particular, Iran rejects the US demand to completely halt uranium enrichment. According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai, there are no plans for talks with the US at this time.
