Tehran (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Iran, UK, France, and Germany could hold discussions next week on Iran’s nuclear programme, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency revealed on Sunday, following cautions by the three European nations that failure to resume talks would lead to international sanctions being reimposed on Tehran.
“The principle of talks has been agreed upon, but consultations are continuing on the time and place of the talks. The country in which the talks could be held next week has not been finalised,”
the Iranian news agency reported.
What did E3 ministers discuss with Iran recently?
The announcement of potential talks comes just days after the foreign ministers of the so-called E3 countries and the EU’s foreign policy lead held their first conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, following Israel and the U.S.’s bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities a month ago.
The last conversation of the E3 foreign ministers with Iran was on Friday, 20 June 2025, in Geneva, which also included the EU High Representative. The ministers from the UK, France, and Germany—the E3—along with the European Union’s foreign policy chief, met in Geneva before starting talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, which began in the mid-afternoon.
The E3 nations have stated they would revive U.N. sanctions on Iran via the so-called “snapback mechanism” by the end of August if nuclear discussions that were constant between Iran and the U.S. before the Israel-Iran air war do not resume or fail to yield factual results.
The three European nations, along with China and Russia, are the remaining players in a 2015 nuclear agreement reached with Tehran, from which the US withdrew in 2018, that lifted sanctions on the Middle Eastern nation in return for limitations on its nuclear programme.
Why is the snapback mechanism being considered again?
“If EU/E3 want to have a role, they should act responsibly, and put aside the worn-out policies of threat and pressure, including the ‘snap-back’ for which they lack absolutely [any] moral and legal ground,”
Araqchi stated earlier this week. The snapback mechanism allows the re-imposition of U.N. sanctions before the Security Council resolution formalising the deal expires on October 18.
Before the Israel-Iran conflict, Tehran and Washington participated in five rounds of nuclear negotiations, facilitated by Oman. They encountered significant challenges, including Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, which Western countries aim to reduce to zero to lower the threat of weaponisation. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is only for peaceful, civilian use.
