Iran returns to nuclear talks with UK, France and Germany

DW-Jan13th2025

Wesley Rahn

Representatives from Tehran and the “E3” grouping of the United Kingdom, France and Germany are set to sit down in Geneva this week for two days of talks that are expected to include the topic of Iran’s nuclear program.

The meetings, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, come a week after President Emmanuel Macron told a French foreign policy conference that Iran and its nuclear program presented the “main strategic security challenge” for the European Union.

The E3 comprises the remaining European signatories to a faltering 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that allowed sanctions relief in exchange for verifiable proof that the country was not producing fissile material for a nuclear weapon.

The deal has mostly fallen through after Donald Trump pulled the United States out and reimposed sanctions during his first term as president in 2018. Iran is now widely considered to be approaching advanced uranium enrichment toward weapons-grade levels.

In December, Germany, the United Kingdom and France released a statement expressing “extreme concern” over Iran’s enrichment capacity.

“We strongly urge Iran to reverse these steps, and to immediately halt its nuclear escalation,” it said.

The statement came after Rafael Grossi, head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reported that Iran was enriching uranium up to 60% purity, approaching the 90% level needed to produce a weapon.

Last week, Macron said the acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program was “bringing us very close to the breaking point,” adding that EU partners to the nuclear deal should consider reimposing sanctions if there is no progress from Tehran on addressing the concerns.

Macron said Iran’s uranium enrichment was nearing the “point of no return.”

Iran denies France’s assessment

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei called Macron’s statement “baseless” and “deceitful,” while accusing France of not adhering to its obligations under the nuclear deal.

The government has always denied that it is aiming to produce nuclear weapons, and has claimed that its nuclear activities are “peaceful” and “within the framework of international law.”

Baghaei said a “wide range” of topics would be discussed in Geneva, including the nuclear issue.

“The primary objective of these talks is to remove the sanctions,” Baghaei said.

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