The upcoming round of nuclear discussions between Iran and three European nations is scheduled for January 13 in Geneva, according to Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, as reported by the semi-official ISNA news agency on Wednesday.
In November 2024, Iran engaged in talks with Britain, France, and Germany regarding its controversial nuclear program. These discussions, the first since the U.S. elections, followed Tehran’s frustration over a European-backed resolution accusing Iran of insufficient cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.
In response to the resolution, Tehran notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its intention to install additional uranium-enriching centrifuges at its facilities.
In December, Rafael Grossi, chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, informed Reuters that Iran is “dramatically” advancing its uranium enrichment to 60% purity, nearing the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material. However, Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful and denies any intention to develop nuclear weapons.
The 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six major powers was disrupted in 2018 when former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the pact and reimposed strict sanctions on Iran. This prompted Tehran to breach the deal’s nuclear restrictions, including rebuilding enriched uranium stockpiles, increasing fissile purity, and deploying advanced centrifuges to accelerate production.
Efforts at indirect negotiations between the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden and Tehran to restore the agreement have so far failed. During his election campaign in September, Trump stated, “We have to make a deal, because the consequences are impossible. We have to make a deal.”
