Senior diplomats from Iran and the European trio of Britain, France, and Germany (E3) will meet in Istanbul on Friday in a renewed effort to revive dialogue around the 2015 nuclear deal. The talks, confirmed by Iranian and European diplomatic sources, come as both sides brace for a possible fifth round of U.S.-Iran negotiations expected soon.
Initial talks scheduled for May 2 were postponed amid E3 concerns that engaging Iran separately could undermine U.S.-led efforts. However, diplomats now believe direct dialogue with Tehran is essential to clarify European positions on a potential new agreement and avoid diplomatic isolation.
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Iran, meanwhile, is seeking to gauge Europe’s stance on the possible reimposition of United Nations sanctions, a move Tehran’s foreign minister recently warned against. Tensions between the E3 and Iran have escalated over the past year due to sanctions related to Iran’s missile program, support for Russia, and detentions of foreign nationals.
Though not directly involved in the current U.S.-Iran talks, the European powers have coordinated closely with Washington. They are weighing the option of activating the “snapback mechanism” under the 2015 UN resolution, which could restore sanctions on Iran as early as August if progress stalls.
