Iran is set to meet France, Britain, and Germany for nuclear talks on January 13 in Switzerland, the Foreign Ministry in Tehran announced on Wednesday.
“The next round of discussions between Iran and these three European countries will happen in Geneva on January 13,” stated Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, as reported by ISNA news agency. He clarified that the discussions are strictly “consultations, not negotiations.”
Last month, on December 17, the three European nations accused Iran of stockpiling high-enriched uranium to “unprecedented levels” without providing “credible civilian reasons.” They warned of possibly reinstating sanctions to stop Iran from advancing its nuclear program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) highlighted Iran’s significant enrichment activities. Iran is now the only non-nuclear weapon state with uranium enriched to 60%, which is close to the 90% required for nuclear weapons.
Kazem Gharibabadi, seen with Iran’s atomic energy chief Mohammad Eslami at an IAEA conference in Vienna in 2021, represents Iran in these discussions.
Iran insists its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes and denies pursuing nuclear weapons. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a religious decree, or fatwa, banning the use of atomic weapons. On Monday, Iran’s security chief Ali Akbar Ahmadian reiterated that Iran’s nuclear doctrine remains unchanged, firmly opposing the development of nuclear weapons.
The upcoming talks in Geneva come just a week before Donald Trump’s scheduled return to the White House. In 2015, Iran reached a nuclear agreement with global powers, including France, Britain, and Germany. This deal reduced sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. However, in 2018, the U.S., under Mr. Trump’s presidency, pulled out of the agreement and reimposed strict sanctions. Iran initially complied with the deal but began scaling back its commitments after the U.S. withdrawal.
