Iran, E3 Diplomats Hold Talks in Geneva

The two sides discussed the removal of illegal sanctions on Tehran and its nuclear program as well as issues of common interests and the ongoing situation in the region.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi and political directors and deputies of the European trio were present in the meeting.

Takht-Ravanchi is also scheduled to meet Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, in Geneva on Thursday.

The Geneva meeting with the three European countries is a continuation of the talks held with the trio in September on the sidelines of the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York and the negotiations held in Geneva in November.

The two sides have been conducting on-again, off-again talks since 2021, three years after the United States illegally and unilaterally left a historic nuclear accord between Iran and world powers under Donald Trump, returning Washington’s unlawful sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The trio then failed to live up to their promise of bringing Washington back into the deal.

Reacting to the counter-party’s non-commitment to its obligations, Tehran initiated a set of retaliatory nuclear steps, including by activating more advanced centrifuges.

The country has been stepping up the measures in response to the other parties’ continued refusal to uphold their obligations.

Earlier this year, the European states forwarded an anti-Iranian resolution that had been proposed by the US, to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was approved by the board.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday that Tehran has always given priority to having the sanctions terminated.

“However, we have learned that we should improve our power to minimize the impacts of the sanctions,” Baqaei emphasized.

He noted that the Geneva meeting is primarily aimed at discussing the lifting of illegal sanctions against Iran but other topics will also be raised.