Iran on Wednesday called on Britain, France, and Germany to respond positively to its new cooperation agreement with the UN nuclear watchdog, amid renewed tensions over the 2015 nuclear accord.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters that Tehran had shown goodwill by signing the deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“We have demonstrated that we are not averse to diplomacy and take every opportunity to safeguard the interests and benefits of the Iranian nation,” Baqaei said.
“It is natural to expect that Iran’s positive approach and good-faith efforts will be met with similar and reciprocal action from the European parties.”
The comments came as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to hold phone talks with his counterparts from Britain, France, and Germany.
Last week, Iran agreed to restore cooperation with the IAEA after months of suspension, which followed Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear sites in June. The move came shortly after the three European powers activated the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal to reimpose UN sanctions suspended for nearly a decade.
The sanctions are set to return next month unless Iran resumes nuclear talks with Washington and addresses European concerns over compliance.
The 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), had offered Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program. But the agreement was severely weakened after former US President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018 and reimposed American sanctions.
