Iran to hold nuclear talks with European trio in Istanbul
TEHRAN
Iran confirmed fresh talks with European powers to be held on July 25 in Istanbul, the country's state media has reported, the first since the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities a month ago.
Iranian diplomats will meet counterparts from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, after the trio warned that sanctions could be reimposed on Tehran if it does return to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.
"In response to the request of European countries, Iran has agreed to hold a new round of talks," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai, as quoted by state TV on July 21.
The E3 countries last met with Iranian representatives in Geneva on June 21, just one day before the U.S. strikes. In May, they also held another meeting in Istanbul.
Israel launched on June 13 a wave of surprise strikes on its regional nemesis, targeting key military and nuclear facilities.
The United States launched its own set of strikes against Iran's nuclear program on June 22, hitting the uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, in Qom province south of Tehran, as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz.
However, Tehran on July 21 accused Britain, France and Germany of failing to respect the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, after they threatened to reimpose sanctions over its atomic program.
The 2015 deal, reached between Iran and the UN Security Council's permanent members, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.
But it unraveled when the United States in 2018, during Donald Trump's first term as president, unilaterally withdrew from the accord and reimposed sweeping sanctions.
Iran also announced that it will host China and Russia on July 22 for talks on its nuclear program.
