The foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Britain are scheduled to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva. This was confirmed by a German diplomatic source to Reuters.
The European ministers will first convene with the European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, at Germany’s permanent mission in Geneva. Following this, they will hold a joint meeting with the Iranian foreign minister.
This European initiative comes amidst growing fears of a spiraling conflict in the Middle East. Tensions have escalated significantly after Israel launched extensive military strikes on Iran last week, to which Iran responded with waves of missiles targeting Israeli sites.
Adding to the regional uncertainty, U.S. President Donald Trump has refrained from stating whether the United States will join its ally Israel’s military campaign, fueling concerns about a potential intensification of the crisis.
The primary objective of these talks between Iran and the European nations, which the German source stated are being conducted in coordination with the United States, is to persuade the Iranian side to firmly guarantee that its nuclear program will be used solely for civilian purposes.
According to the source, these ministerial talks are expected to be followed by a structured dialogue at the expert level, indicating a multi-stage approach to the negotiations.
Israel has publicly stated its goal is to eliminate Tehran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran, however, consistently denies that its nuclear program is intended for military purposes.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has voiced support for Israel’s recent attack and sparked anger in Tehran this week by asserting that Iran should de-escalate or face the threat of even greater destruction.
Concurrently, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday appealed to Iran’s leaders to work towards a solution that would include assurances regarding its nuclear program. He urged them, stating, “It’s never too late to come to the negotiating table.”
