Before Trump returns, Iran and European nations will have nuclear negotiations.

GENEVA: Just one week before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Iran is scheduled to have nuclear negotiations with France, Britain, and Germany on Monday.

These are the second round of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program in less than two months, after Tehran and the three European powers, known as the E3, met in secret in Geneva, Switzerland, in November.
German Foreign Ministry: “These are not negotiations,” AFP was informed. Iran has emphasized that the discussions are only “consultations” in the same way.

Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, stated during a weekly news conference that the discussions, which are set for Monday and Tuesday, will cover a “wide range of topics.”

In addition to “listening to the […] topics that the opposite parties want to raise,” he stated that “the primary objective of these talks is to remove the sanctions” on Iran.

The meeting was described as an indication that the E3 nations “are continuing to work toward a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear program, the progress of which is extremely problematic” by France’s foreign ministry on Thursday.

The discussions take place as Trump’s impending return to the White House on January 20 has brought increased attention to Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump had adopted a “maximum pressure” strategy during his first term, pulling the US out of a historic nuclear agreement that placed restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.

Tehran followed the agreement until Washington withdrew, after which it started to pull out.

Since then, attempts to resurrect the nuclear agreement from 2015 have failed, and European officials have frequently voiced their displeasure with Tehran’s non-compliance.