Iran will resume nuclear negotiations with Britain, France, and Germany on Tuesday in Geneva, as diplomatic efforts intensify to salvage the 2015 nuclear agreement and prevent renewed sanctions.
Iranian state television confirmed on Monday that the deputy foreign ministers of the three European signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), alongside the European Union, will meet with Iranian officials in what will be their second gathering since the June conflict between Tehran and Israel.
The talks follow a turbulent summer in which Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), accusing the UN watchdog of failing to condemn U.S. and Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities during a 12-day war. That conflict, which saw unprecedented Israeli bombings and retaliatory Iranian missile attacks, also derailed direct negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
European leaders have since raised the possibility of triggering a “snapback mechanism” under the JCPOA — a move that would automatically reinstate UN sanctions lifted in 2015 unless Iran agrees to scale back uranium enrichment and restore access for international inspectors. Tehran has rejected the threat, insisting the clause is being misused and accusing Europe of failing to uphold its own commitments under the accord.
The JCPOA, signed in 2015 by Iran, the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia, granted Tehran sanctions relief in return for restrictions on its nuclear program — safeguards meant to ensure it could not build a nuclear weapon, a goal Iran maintains it has never pursued. But in 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew under then-President Donald Trump and reimposed sweeping sanctions, prompting Iran to gradually roll back its obligations, including accelerating uranium enrichment.
While Britain, France, and Germany reaffirmed their commitment at the time and avoided reinstating sanctions, their promised mechanisms to shield European companies from U.S. penalties faltered, leaving Iran isolated and grappling with high inflation and a worsening economic crisis.
With the October deadline looming for the Europeans to decide on the snapback sanctions, the Financial Times reported that London, Paris, and Berlin may extend the timeline if Iran agrees to resume direct nuclear talks with Washington and cooperate again with the IAEA.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has pushed back, stating the Europeans “have no right” to invoke the clause or dictate the pace of negotiations.
Tuesday’s meeting in Geneva is expected to set the tone for whether Europe and Tehran can revive the framework of the 2015 deal — or whether the standoff will deepen, risking further isolation for Iran and renewed confrontation in the region.
