U.S. Rubio, European Counterparts Hold Talks on Iran Nuclear Program
(MENAFN) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a high-level call with his French, German, and British counterparts Wednesday to address ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, the State Department announced.
Rubio spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, according to a statement by Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
“All reiterated their commitment to ensuring that Iran never develops or obtains a nuclear weapon,” the statement said.
The trio, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, informed Rubio of plans to activate the “snapback” sanctions mechanism against Iran on Thursday, media reported.
A European diplomat observed that European leaders believe Iran has been violating the 2015 nuclear deal for years without facing any corrective measures.
The snapback process requires 30 days to take effect, with European powers aiming to finalize it before Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council in October.
The E3 countries remain open to diplomacy with Iran during this period, a diplomat told media.
Meanwhile, senior Iranian and European officials met Tuesday in Geneva to discuss nuclear inspections amid the looming sanctions threat.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei cautioned that Tehran warned France, Germany, and the UK “that any attempt to reimpose sanctions would have consequences,” but noted both sides agreed to continue talks in the coming days.
The E3—France, Germany, and the UK—are parties to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and have repeatedly threatened to reimpose UN sanctions by October, when the deal expires.
Last month, the E3 and the EU held nuclear discussions with Iran in Istanbul as tensions remain high.
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