Iran, E3 countries agree to resume nuclear talks on Friday in Istanbul

Iran, Britain, France and Germany will hold nuclear talks in Istanbul on Friday, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said early on Monday, following warnings by the three European countries that failure to resume negotiations would lead to international sanctions being reimposed on Iran.

“The meeting between Iran, Britain, France and Germany will take place at the deputy foreign minister level,” Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted by Iranian state media as saying.

In talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday, the top diplomats of the E3 nations and the European Union had emphasized the urgency of returning to diplomacy for a nuclear deal, or else they were prepared to trigger the UN “snapback” mechanism reimposing international sanctions.

“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 said earlier in the week.