Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that he was prepared to travel to France, Germany, and the United Kingdom in a fresh attempt to re-establish diplomatic relations with the three European powers and additional momentum in current nuclear talks with the United States.
The E3 of European powers already issued a warning last December against triggering a “snapback” of UN sanctions in retaliation to Iran’s nuclear programs, aiming to prevent Tehran from gaining access to nuclear arms.
In disregard of this warning, Iran kept pursuing negotiations with the administration of US President Donald Trump, reportedly without much coordination from the European allies. On social media site X, Araqchi recognized recent diplomatic difficulties with the E3 but reiterated that diplomacy is still possible. “Our ties with the E3 have experienced ups and downs. They are currently low,” he said, adding that following recent talks in Moscow and Beijing, he is ready to go to Paris, Berlin, and London to make progress in talks. “The ball is now in the E3’s court,” he added.
President Trump has recently stated that the US had “very good” talks with Iran, after the second round of nuclear negotiations. A third round is planned on Saturday in Oman. Trump, who pulled the US out of the 2015 nuclear agreement during his first term in 2018, threatened to use military force unless Iran quickly signs onto a new accord that keeps Iran from building nuclear weapons.
Though Iran insists that its nuclear activities have peaceful intentions, it has indicated willingness to accept limited limits on the programme in return for sanctions to be lifted. But the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed this week that Iran should stop uranium enrichment entirely under any agreement. Senior Iranian official reaffirmed on Wednesday that “zero enrichment is unacceptable,” reaffirming Iran’s position on its nuclear rights.
