Iran, France signal readiness for nuclear talks

DUBAI/PARIS: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday he was ready to travel to Europe for talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme, with France indicating European powers were also ready for dialogue if Tehran showed it was seriously engaged.

Iran is looking to build on the momentum of nuclear negotiations with the United States that resume in Oman on Saturday and after talks with Russia and China earlier this week. Its reach out to the European powers party to a 2015 nuclear deal suggests Tehran is keeping its options open.

Since September, Tehran and the three European powers, known as the E3, have already held several rounds of discussions over their ties and the nuclear issue. The most recent in March were held at technical level, looking at the parameters of a future deal to secure a rollback of the nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions.

European diplomats had said they were seeking a new meeting with Iran, although that appeared on ice when Tehran began indirect talks on its nuclear programme with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this month. The third round of talks is due to be held on Saturday in Oman. “Iran’s relations with the E3 ... have experienced ups and downs in recent history. Like it or not, they are currently down,” Araqchi wrote on X. “I once again propose diplomacy. After my recent consultations in Moscow & Beijing, I am ready to take the first step with visits to Paris, Berlin & London ... The ball is now in the E3’s court.”