Istanbul Hosts Sensitive Talks Between Iran and Three European Powers
Following the suspension of negotiations due to Israeli attacks, delegations from Iran and European countries gathered for the second time at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul to seek a solution to the nuclear crisis. The meeting, held at the level of deputy foreign ministers behind closed doors, was attended by Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi representing Iran.
Background of the talks: Discussions resumed at the request of the European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal. The E3 group—comprising Britain, France, and Germany—is attempting to find a diplomatic solution before the expiration of the “snapback mechanism” on October 18. Iran fears these countries may reinstate lifted UN sanctions by triggering this mechanism.
History of tensions: The 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers lifted sanctions in exchange for Iran reducing its nuclear activities. However, the U.S.’s unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018 and Europe’s failure to compensate led Iran to gradually scale back its commitments and resume high-level enrichment. Now, Britain, France, and Germany are threatening to activate the snapback mechanism.
Iran’s response: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the threat as legally baseless, stressing that the Europeans themselves violated the deal’s terms and have lost their cooperative role.
