Iran to hold call with Europeans over nuclear programme as sanctions deadline looms

Published on 22/08/2025 - 10:08 GMT+2

Iran said connected Friday that its overseas curate would clasp a telephone convention telephone pinch his French, German and British counterparts to debar nan reimposition of United Nations sanctions over Tehran’s atomic programme, conscionable days distant from nan deadline.

The call, planned for Friday by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency, comes arsenic nan 3 parties to Tehran's 2015 atomic woody frighten to reimpose those sanctions nether a system known arsenic "snapback".

The European Union's overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas will besides subordinate nan call, IRNA said.

The Europeans' interest complete nan Iranian program, which had been enriching uranium to adjacent weapons-grade levels earlier nan 12-day Iran-Israel conflict successful June that saw its atomic sites bombed, has only grown since Tehran trim disconnected each practice with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

That has near nan world organization successful nan acheronian astir nan grade of nan Iranian programme arsenic good arsenic nan position of its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity, a short, method measurement to weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Iran has agelong insisted its programme is peaceful, though it is nan only non-nuclear-armed federation enriching uranium astatine that level.

The US, nan IAEA and others measure Iran had a atomic weapons programme up until 2003.

In an 8 August letter, nan 3 European nations warned Iran it would proceed pinch "snapback" sanctions if Tehran didn't scope a "satisfactory solution" to nan atomic issues.

That deadline would beryllium 31 August, leaving small clip for Iran to scope immoderate statement pinch nan Europeans, who person grown progressively sceptical of Iran over years of inconclusive negotiations.

Restoring nan IAEA's entree is simply a cardinal portion of nan talks. Iran has blamed nan warfare pinch Israel successful portion connected nan IAEA, nan UN's atomic watchdog, without offering immoderate evidence.

The IAEA issues quarterly reports connected Iran's programme and nan 2015 woody gave it greater entree to support way of it.

Iran has besides threatened its head general, Rafael Grossi, pinch apprehension if he comes to Iran, further complicating talks.

Grossi is considering moving to go nan UN's caput general, thing Tehran has seized connected arsenic good successful its criticisms of nan Argentine diplomat.

In announcing nan call, nan IRNA study didn't mention nan deadline and alternatively appeared to propose Iran's concerns would predominate nan discussion.

Quoting Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, IRNA said Araghchi "would talk lifting of nan unlawful sanctions" and "the request for nan progressive parties to respond to criminal attacks against Iran’s serene atomic facilities."

The "snapback" powerfulness successful nan atomic accord expires successful October, besides putting unit connected nan Europeans to perchance usage it arsenic leverage pinch Iran earlier losing that ability.

Under "snapback," immoderate statement to nan woody tin find Iran successful noncompliance, reimposing nan sanctions. After it expires, immoderate sanctions effort could look a veto from UN Security Council members China and Russia, 2 nations that person provided immoderate support to Iran successful nan past but stayed retired of nan June conflict.