GENEVA (AN) — Diplomats from Britain, France, Germany and Iran, plus the European Union, launched another round of talks about Iran's nuclear program – a week before Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency.
The talks on Monday focused on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which lifted some economic pressure on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.
They were a continuation of discussions among political directors for Iran and Britain and France, both permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany – and are now slated to keep going.
"The third round of Iran-E3 talks was held in Geneva. The talks were serious, frank, and constructive," said Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international Affairs.
"We discussed ideas involving certain details in the sanctions-lifting and nuclear fields that are needed for a deal," he said. "Sides concurred that negotiations should be resumed and to reach a deal, all parties should create and maintain the appropriate atmosphere. We agreed to continue our dialogue."
British diplomat Christian Turner mirrored Gharibabadi's comments, saying the talks were "serious, frank and constructive" – and would be continued. "Against a challenging context, we discussed concerns and reiterated our commitment to a diplomatic solution. We agreed to continue our dialogue," he said.
After the previous round of talks at Geneva in November, Gharibabadi had characterized them as "candid discussions" that provided an informal opportunity "to clarify issues and engage in deeper consultations" toward more negotiations.
The meetings in undisclosed locations reflect concerns over Iran's nuclear program, its military support for Russia, and Middle East tensions.
The council could trigger a “snapback” mechanism to reinstate sanctions under the JCPOA, which Iran stopped complying with after Trump reneged on the deal and began a "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran.
Iran since stepped up its uranium enrichment under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to warn the enrichment is “nearing a point of no return."
This story has been updated with additional details.
