On Wednesday, September 17th, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will speak with the British, French, and German foreign ministers. Tehran does not want the return of international resistance to its nuclear program.
According to a French diplomatic source, the discussion will focus on Europe’s planned UN sanctions and the requirements Iran must meet to delay them.
Tehran called for “positive approach and goodwill” from the E3—Britain, France, and Germany—who have started a one-month procedure to reimpose sanctions that were removed under the 2015 nuclear agreement, which fell apart following the U.S. exit in 2018.
The talks—also involving European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas–—come after last week’s agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resume cooperation, including planned inspections of nuclear sites.
In June 2025, Israel and the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear facilities, citing concerns that Iran was nearing nuclear weapons capability. IAEA inspections were halted due to security issues and Tehran’s objections.
One of the three conditions established by the European powers to delay the UN snapback—automatic Security Council sanctions reinstatement invoked in August—is the resumption of Iran’s cooperation with the IAEA.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei emphasized the need for cooperation between Tehran and the European powers, stating
It is a natural expectation that Iran’s positive approach and goodwill should be reciprocated by the European side… If some European parties start nagging this is not enough. That would mean they do not accept the IAEA.
Recent Iranian nuclear compromises contrast with the bullish stance of North Korea, which declared its nuclear-armed status to be “irreversible.”
