IRIA News

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Iran and European powers held “frank and constructive” talks on January 13, 2025, in Geneva. The discussions, which included representatives from Iran and the European trio of Britain, France, and Germany, come only a week before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.

The meeting marks the second round of such talks in less than two months. A discreet session was previously held in Geneva last November. While the specific agenda of the meeting remained undisclosed, both sides expressed a shared commitment to continuing their dialogue.

According to Iran’s ISNA news agency, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi met with European counterparts to discuss various issues, including sanctions, the nuclear impasse, and regional security concerns. Takht-Ravanchi is scheduled to hold talks with European Union diplomat Enrique Mora in Geneva on Tuesday.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for International Affairs, described the discussions as “serious, frank, and constructive.” Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Gharibabadi said, “We discussed ideas involving certain details in the sanctions-lifting and nuclear fields that are needed for a deal. Sides concurred that negotiations should be resumed and to reach a deal, all parties should create and maintain the appropriate atmosphere. We agreed to continue our dialogue.”

In a joint statement, representatives from Britain, France, and Germany echoed this sentiment, describing the talks as “serious, frank, and constructive.” They reaffirmed their commitment to finding a diplomatic resolution to the nuclear issue, saying, “Against a challenging context, we discussed concerns and reiterated our commitment to a diplomatic solution. We agreed to continue our dialogue.”

Escalating concerns over Iran’s nuclear activities

The talks come against the backdrop of escalating international concern over the acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program. On Thursday, France’s foreign ministry highlighted the urgency of the matter, warning that the nuclear program’s progress is “extremely problematic.” French President Emmanuel Macron recently stated that the program was nearing a “breaking point,” comments that Iran dismissed as “baseless” and “deceitful.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that Iran’s enrichment of uranium has reached 60%, a level significantly closer to the 90% required for a nuclear weapon. While Iran maintains that its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful, its accumulation of highly enriched uranium has prompted criticism and raised fears about potential weaponization.

The IAEA report claimed that Iran intends to install over 6,000 additional uranium-enriching centrifuges at its enrichment plants and activate more existing centrifuges. Iran informed the IAEA that it plans to expand its uranium enrichment program significantly.

Iran had plans to include the installation of 32 additional cascades, clusters of centrifuges, at its enrichment facilities, with some cascades consisting of over 160 machines each. Notably, a massive cascade of up to 1,152 advanced IR-6 centrifuges, which have higher enrichment capabilities, is also in the works.

Interestingly, the IAEA report mentioned that the new centrifuges will initially produce uranium enriched to only 5% purity. This is significantly lower than the current 60% enrichment level. Some analysts interpret this as a possible attempt by Iran to seek common ground with European nations. However, they also caution that enrichment levels can be easily adjusted later, leaving the door open for escalation.

In December, Britain, Germany, and France accused Tehran of growing its stockpile of enriched uranium to “unprecedented levels” without “any credible civilian justification.” The European officials reiterated their determination to use all diplomatic tools, including the JCPOA’s snapback mechanism, to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The mechanism, which allows for the reimposition of United Nations sanctions, remains a critical point of leverage but must be triggered before its October 2025 expiry.

Challenges ahead

Adding to the stakes is the impending return of Donald Trump to the White House. During his previous term, Trump’s administration withdrew the United States from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a landmark nuclear agreement that had imposed limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The withdrawal led to a collapse in compliance, with Iran subsequently rolling back its commitments under the deal.

Efforts to revive the JCPOA have faced repeated hurdles, with European officials expressing frustration over Tehran’s actions and lack of compliance. Despite the challenges, Iran has signaled a willingness to re-engage with the agreement. President Masoud Pezeshkian, who took office in July, has shown support for reviving the deal to end Iran’s isolation. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently reaffirmed this stance, stating:

“The formula that we believe in is the same as the previous JCPOA formula, namely, building trust on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions.”

The path forward

As talks continue this week, the stakes for all parties remain high. The urgency to address Iran’s nuclear program before the JCPOA snapback deadline in October underscores the need for meaningful progress. However, the potential reintroduction of “maximum pressure” policies by the incoming U.S. administration could complicate these efforts.

The international community will closely watch whether these “constructive” talks can translate into concrete steps toward resolving one of the most contentious geopolitical issues of the modern era. For now, the hope for a diplomatic solution persists, even amid significant challenges.