Iran’s official: Istanbul nuclear talks with E3 were “serious and frank”

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has described the nuclear negotiations between Tehran and the E3 held on July 25 as “serious, frank, and detailed.”

The talks, held in Istanbul, marked a renewed effort to address the deadlock surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and the reimposition of international sanctions, Caliber.Az repost via Mehr. 

In a post on X, Gharibabadi said he and Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht-Ravanchi met with the Political Directors (PDs) of the E3/EU – representatives from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany – to discuss the latest developments.

“Together with Takht-Ravanchi, we held a serious, frank, and detailed discussion with the E3/EU PDs. The latest developments regarding the issue of sanctions lifting and the nuclear issue were discussed and reviewed,” he wrote.

Gharibabadi noted that the Iranian side conveyed strong criticism over European positions related to the recent regional conflict.

“While seriously criticising their stances regarding the recent war of aggression against our people, we explained our principled positions, including on the so-called snapback mechanism,” he added. 

According to him, both sides arrived at the meeting with “specific ideas,” and various aspects of those proposals were examined during the session. 

“It was agreed that consultations on this matter will continue,” Gharibabadi added.

The meeting in Istanbul marked the first formal engagement between Iranian and European officials since the mid-June conflict between Iran and Israel, during which US bombers targeted nuclear-related sites in Iran.

Central to the discussions is the fate of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. A key point of contention remains the so-called “snapback” mechanism, which would allow the automatic reinstatement of UN sanctions if Iran is found to be in serious non-compliance with the deal.

Without meaningful progress, European leaders have warned that the snapback process could be triggered as early as mid-September. Some of the JCPOA’s core provisions are set to expire by October 18, intensifying pressure to reach a diplomatic breakthrough.

An EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the snapback option “remains on the table,” while also noting that any decision will depend on the outcomes of these renewed consultations.

Tehran, meanwhile, has reiterated its demand that the United States, which unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 under President Donald Trump, must first rebuild trust before Iran will agree to further concessions.

By Sabina Mammadli