Iran and Europe Engage in New Nuclear Discussions in Turkey Amid Uncertainty Over Future UN Sanctions

Iran has firmly opposed suggestions to extend a United Nations resolution that endorses the 2015 nuclear deal, as it embarks on its first face-to-face discussions with Western powers following recent airstrikes by Israel and the United States.

Delegations from Iran, the European Union, and the E3 coalition comprising France, Britain, and Germany convened at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul.

The remaining parties to the 2015 deal—which the US exited in 2018—include the European nations, along with China and Russia. This agreement originally lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear program.

With a critical deadline approaching on October 18 for the resolution governing the deal, the E3 has established an August deadline to rejuvenate diplomatic efforts.

Diplomats are looking for Iran to undertake meaningful actions that could justify an extension of the deadline for up to six months. “Concrete steps are crucial,” a diplomatic source remarked, emphasizing the importance of mutual commitment in these negotiations.

If further talks are to progress, Iran will need to address several key issues. These include potential discussions with Washington, full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and providing clarity on the whereabouts of 400 kg (approximately 880 pounds) of near-weapons-grade, highly enriched uranium that has been unaccounted for since last month’s airstrikes.

Just moments before the discussions commenced, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed the idea of extending UN Security Council Resolution 2231 as “meaningless and baseless,” reflecting Iran’s current stance on the negotiations.

In the lead-up to the airstrikes in June, the United States engaged in five rounds of talks with Iran. Following these actions, President Donald Trump claimed that the strikes had “obliterated” a program that Washington and Israel contend is focused on developing nuclear weapons. However, a recent assessment from current and former US officials, as reported by NBC News, indicated that while the strikes significantly damaged one of three targeted Iranian nuclear sites, the other two sustained less severe damage.

Despite these tensions, Iran maintains that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon. At this point, both European and Iranian diplomats indicate that there is little hope of Iran re-engaging with the US at the negotiating table.

“The path ahead remains uncertain, but diplomacy must remain the priority,” one diplomat concluded, encapsulating the complex landscape of these ongoing discussions.

Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring