European Powers Meet with Iran to Restart Nuclear Negotiations

Strategic Insights -

In a bid to revive stalled talks on Iran's nuclear activities, European diplomats met with the country's deputy foreign minister in Istanbul on Friday. Britain, France, and Germany urged Iran to meet again with the United States on its nuclear program and make a concrete step towards restoring international trust. Iran had halted fledgling talks with the US after Israel's 12-day war damaged its nuclear facilities and other infrastructure.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European powers met with Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, to restart negotiations on limiting or eliminating Iran's nuclear enrichment program.
  • The talks focused on issues including last month's war, the possible restoration of sanctions against Iran, and the country's refusal to give up enrichment of uranium altogether.
  • Iran has been violating the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, which expires in mid-October, and the Europeans are willing to extend the deadline on restoring sanctions to keep the deal alive.
  • The main sticking point remains the American insistence that Iran give up enrichment of uranium altogether, a condition Iran has refused to accept.
  • Iran has said it will not give up the right to enrich uranium and will not stop enrichment, citing its legal right under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
  • If Iran fails to take serious steps towards a new nuclear deal, the Europeans will initiate a procedure to restore sanctions against the country.
  • The European powers, including Britain, France, and Germany, have been urging Iran to meet again with the US on its nuclear program and to make a concrete step towards restoring international trust.
  • Iran has been violating the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, which expires in mid-October, and the Europeans are willing to extend the deadline on restoring sanctions to keep the deal alive.
  • Iranian officials have met with their allies Russia and China to discuss ways to prevent or mitigate the consequences of restored sanctions.

Statistics:

  • The 2015 nuclear deal expires in mid-October.
  • Iran has been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade, enough to make 10 nuclear weapons.
  • The Europeans have said they will move to restore sanctions by the end of August if Iran does not respond with a serious effort at a new deal.
  • Iran has been violating the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal for months, and the Europeans are willing to extend the deadline on restoring sanctions to keep the deal alive.
  • The difficulty of achieving unanimity in a Security Council where Russia and China both hold vetoes means that any U.N. restrictions could vanish for decades if there is no progress in negotiations.
  • An extension of the deadline on restoring sanctions would require all members of the Security Council, including the US, to agree, which may be a hard sell given the deep distrust of Iran in the Trump administration.

Sources:

  • Kazem Gharibabadi, Iranian deputy foreign minister, quoted in an interview with the New York Times.
  • Ellie Geranmayeh, Iran expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations, quoted in an interview with the New York Times.
  • Esmaeil Baghaei, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, quoted in an interview with state media.
  • Rafael Grossi, head of the IAEA, quoted in an interview with the New York Times.
  • Abbas Araghchi, Iranian foreign minister, quoted in an interview with the New York Times.
  • Umit Bektas/Reuters, photo of Abbas Araghchi.