Iran, European Powers Continue Nuclear Talks in Istanbul

Iran and European powers, including the EU and the E3 group of France, Britain, and Germany, held their first face-to-face nuclear talks since recent Israeli and U.S. airstrikes, meeting in Istanbul to discuss the future of the 2015 nuclear deal and the impending expiration of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on October 18. The talks focused on reviving parts of the deal, with European diplomats urging Iran to take concrete steps such as resuming cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), addressing the whereabouts of 400 kilograms of near-weapons-grade uranium, and re-engaging in negotiations with the U.S. Iran criticized the Europeans for their stance on last month's conflict with Israel and rejected the idea of extending the resolution, calling it “meaningless and baseless.” Despite tensions, the UN nuclear watchdog expressed optimism that these discussions could lead to renewed inspections in Iran later this year. The European parties have set an end-of-August deadline to determine whether diplomacy can progress sufficiently to extend the resolution, which would prevent the automatic lifting of UN sanctions under the deal's “snapback” mechanism. Both sides agreed to continue consultations, signaling a cautious but ongoing diplomatic engagement amid rising regional tensions.