Iran and the European trio — the UK, France, and Germany — have agreed in principle to resume nuclear negotiations next week, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported on Sunday. Citing an informed source, the report said that both sides had agreed to restart talks, though the exact time and venue have yet to be finalized. The diplomatic breakthrough comes after a Thursday meeting between Iran's foreign minister and the top diplomats of the UK, France, Germany, and the European Union, where the Europeans emphasized the urgency of returning to nuclear diplomacy. They warned that failure to engage could lead to the triggering of the United Nations "snapback" mechanism, which would reimpose international sanctions on Tehran. Nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington had been ongoing via Omani mediation until a surprise Israeli airstrike on June 13 targeted multiple sites inside Iran. The strike, which killed senior Iranian military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, also prompted U.S. airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities, which Washington claimed were "obliterated." A 12-day conflict ensued, ending with a ceasefire on June 24. Iran has blamed the U.S. for complicity in the Israeli attack and has since demanded guarantees for any future deal. Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes, while Western nations maintain that Iran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons. Following his meeting with the E3 and EU, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that it was the U.S. that abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal. "Any new round of talks is only possible when the other side is ready for a fair, balanced, and mutually beneficial nuclear deal," Araghchi posted on X. He also warned against the use of pressure tactics: "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 'snapback' for which they lack absolutely no moral and legal ground." — Agencies
