Iran, European powers to resume nuclear talks
Britain, France, and Germany will begin a new round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program in Geneva on January 13, Iranian foreign ministry announced on Tuesday.
Britain, France, and Germany will begin a new round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program in Geneva on January 13, Iranian foreign ministry announced on Tuesday.
Iran and the three European powers, commonly referred to as the E3, agreed in November to continue negotiations in an effort to resolve the deadlock over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The announced date is a week before Donald Trump's inauguration and may be viewed by both sides as the final opportunity for a breakthrough before US policy hardens.
Trump is expected to resume his first term strategy of Maximum Pressure upon returning to the White House on January 20.
Meanwhile, Iran has agreed to stricter monitoring by the UN nuclear agency at its Fordow site after significantly accelerating uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels, the watchdog stated in a report seen by Reuters.
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said in December that Iran is dramatically accelerating its enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, closer to the roughly 90% level needed for building a bomb. Tehran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and says its program is peaceful.
In 2018, the then administration of Donald Trump withdrew from Iran's 2015 nuclear pact with six major powers and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran. In response, Tehran violated the pact's nuclear limits, with moves such as rebuilding stockpiles of enriched uranium, refining it to higher fissile purity and installing advanced centrifuges to speed up output.
Indirect talks between US President Joe Biden's administration and Tehran aimed at reviving the pact have failed.
Trump said during his election campaign in September, "We have to make a deal, because the consequences are impossible. We have to make a deal".
