NextFin news, On August 22, 2025, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with his French, German, and British counterparts to agree on resuming nuclear and sanctions negotiations next week. The talks aim to prevent the reimposition of United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, according to Iranian state media and European officials.
The discussions come ahead of an August 31 deadline set by France, Britain, and Germany to trigger the so-called "snapback" sanctions mechanism. This mechanism would reinstate sweeping UN sanctions lifted under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal unless Iran agrees to curb its uranium enrichment and restore cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed the upcoming talks and noted the urgency of the situation, stating on social media that "time is running out" and that a new meeting would take place next week. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also emphasized the short timeframe, warning that sanctions would snap back unless Iran reached a verifiable and durable deal to address concerns about its nuclear ambitions.
The European powers involved in the talks are the three signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the E3: France, Germany, and Britain. The United States withdrew from the deal in 2018 and has since imposed its own sanctions on Iran.
Since June 2025, following a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, Tehran suspended cooperation with the IAEA, barring inspectors from accessing its nuclear sites. The conflict included Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The IAEA has repeatedly warned that inspections remain essential to monitor Iran's nuclear activities.
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful civilian purposes, though it is the only non-nuclear-armed country enriching uranium at high levels. Western countries and the IAEA have expressed concerns about Iran's past nuclear weapons research, which Tehran denies continuing.
After the phone call, a statement from Araghchi's office criticized the European countries' "legal and moral qualifications" to threaten sanctions but affirmed Iran's readiness to continue diplomatic efforts to protect its rights and interests.
The snapback mechanism, which allows any party to the nuclear deal to reimpose sanctions if Iran is found noncompliant, is set to expire in October 2025. The European powers have set an internal deadline of August 31 to activate it if diplomacy fails, aiming to use it as leverage before losing that option. After expiration, any sanctions effort could be vetoed by UN Security Council members China and Russia, who have supported Iran in the past.
Alongside the European diplomatic efforts, IAEA officials in Vienna are scheduled to meet with Iranian representatives to discuss ongoing nuclear monitoring issues. These talks follow a previous meeting in Tehran on August 11, 2025.
The renewed negotiations and looming sanctions deadline highlight the increasing pressure on Iran and European powers to find a diplomatic solution to the nuclear dispute amid regional tensions and recent conflicts.
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