Iran, E3 Set Istanbul Nuclear Talks for Friday

Iran will resume nuclear talks with Britain, France, and Germany (the E3) this Friday in Istanbul, marking the first such meeting since Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The talks, held at the deputy foreign minister level, follow European threats to trigger UN 'snapback' sanctions unless Iran returns to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal by the end of August. Iran has rejected resuming negotiations with the US and will also host a separate trilateral meeting with China and Russia in Tehran. Amid heightened tensions, Iran has suspended cooperation with UN nuclear inspectors in response to recent attacks. The E3 are closely coordinating with the US and insist Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons, while Iran demands a fair agreement and criticizes Western threats. The outcome of these negotiations could determine whether international sanctions are reimposed or a diplomatic solution is reached.