Delegations Meet in Istanbul
Delegations from Iran, the European Union, and the E3 group of France, Britain, and Germany gathered for talks at the Iranian consulate in Istanbul. The European nations, along with China and Russia, are the remaining parties to a 2015 deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities.
Deadline Approaches
As the deadline of Oct. 18 nears for the resolution governing the Iran deal, discussions intensify. If no action is taken before the deadline, all U.N. sanctions on Iran will be lifted.
E3 Sets August Deadline
The E3 countries have set an end-of-August deadline to revive diplomacy with Iran. They seek concrete steps from Iran to extend the deadline by up to six months.
Key Issues for Iran
Iran must make commitments on various issues, including talks with Washington, cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and accounting for highly enriched uranium.
Iran’s Stance
Iran dismissed talks of extending U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 as baseless. Diplomatic engagements between Iran and the U.S. remain limited.
U.S. Airstrikes and Assessment
The U.S. conducted airstrikes in June, targeting Iranian nuclear sites. While U.S. officials claimed significant damage, sources report varying impacts on the sites attacked.
No Prospects for Dialogue
Both European and Iranian diplomats agree that discussions with the U.S. are unlikely in the near future.
