Geneva to host next round of Iran–E3 talks
Tehran - BORNA - On Aug 26, Iran and the three European parties to the JCPOA (the United Kingdom, Germany, and France), together with the European Union, will convene their new round of talks at the deputy foreign ministerial level in Geneva.
As in previous rounds, the Iranian delegation will be headed by Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi. Representatives of the three European countries will attend at the level of political directors of their foreign ministries, while the EU will be represented by the deputy to the bloc’s foreign policy chief.
Background: The decision to hold this meeting came after a phone call on Friday, August 23, between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his European counterparts, as well as the EU’s foreign policy coordinator, during which the sides agreed that the talks would be held in Geneva on Tuesday.
Deeper picture: The talks come as the three European parties to the JCPOA have threatened to trigger the so-called “snapback” mechanism by the end of this month unless Iran changes its nuclear approach.
Iran, however, maintains that given Europe’s repeated non-compliance with its own JCPOA obligations, any move to invoke the mechanism would be legally invalid.
Iranian officials further argue that Europe’s positions—such as backing U.S. and Israeli military aggression and calls for “zero enrichment”—effectively strip them of their standing as JCPOA participants, disqualifying them from resorting to such measures.
Nevertheless, the three Europeans have put forward their legal reasoning, leading to a standoff with Iran, Russia, and China, which all reject the legitimacy of Europe’s claim. On the issue of JCPOA extension, Tehran insists that Europe, lacking the right to use the snapback, naturally has no right to seek an extension either.
Ahead of the talks: On Friday, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said he had spoken by phone with his Chinese counterpart, Ma Zhaoxu, to coordinate positions with Russia on nuclear developments and UNSC Resolution 2231.
In a post on X, Gharibabadi wrote: “Today I had a phone conversation with Mr. Ma Zhaoxu, Vice Minister and Executive Deputy of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, about the upcoming SCO summit, the latest nuclear developments, negotiations and Resolution 2231, and coordination of Iran–China–Russia positions.” He added: “China emphasized the need for political and diplomatic solutions and affirmed it will continue to play a constructive role.”
Also on Friday, in a separate phone call with his European counterparts and the EU’s foreign policy coordinator, Foreign Minister Araghchi reiterated Tehran’s positions regarding the snapback, stressing that Europe has no legal or moral authority to invoke it and warning of the consequences of such an action.
Quotes: Araghchi told the European ministers: “The Islamic Republic of Iran, just as it firmly defends itself, has never abandoned the path of diplomacy, and is ready for any diplomatic solution that ensures the rights and interests of the Iranian people.”
Responding to Europe’s proposal to extend UNSC Resolution 2231 to allow more time for diplomacy, Araghchi said: “This decision must be taken by the UN Security Council, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, while stating its principled views, has no role in this process.”
He added: “Nevertheless, Iran will consult with its friends in the Security Council about the consequences of such a step and the way forward.”
In a separate interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh warned that European pressure on Tehran is a mistake:
“Europeans have no right to activate the snapback mechanism. Such a move would only waste their last card. Europe has lost its mediating position, and further pressure will merely escalate tensions,” he said.
Khatibzadeh underscored Iran’s right to enrich uranium within the NPT framework, warning that any U.S. insistence on ‘zero enrichment’ would prompt “firm and serious resistance from Tehran.”
He added that while Iran will not make exceptions to international law, it is open to discussing the level and details of enrichment, though from Tehran’s perspective, any future negotiation would effectively be an “armed negotiation.”
Why it matters: The Europeans have threatened to trigger the snapback by late August, just days away. Iranian officials argue that while such a step would not have major economic consequences, it could carry political implications.
Tehran insists it has consistently complied with its obligations, and that it is the Europeans who are exploiting the mechanism as a pressure tool, seeking confrontation rather than resolution.
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