European foreign ministers press Iran to resume nuclear talks and de-escalate with Israel after Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” and Iranian counterstrikes. Iran’s FM states Tehran’s priority is “to confront aggression.”
European foreign ministers on Monday issued a stern call to their Iranian counterpart, urging an immediate return to nuclear negotiations with the United States and a halt to escalating conflict with Israel, Reuters reported.
The diplomatic push follows Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” which ignited a swift retaliatory response from Tehran.
According to a French diplomatic source, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed the European delegation that while Tehran maintained its seriousness in diplomacy, its current “focus at this stage is, of course, to effectively… confront aggression.”
The E3 nations – France, Britain, and Germany – signatories to the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, have been at the forefront of international efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program. Last week, these powers successfully sponsored a resolution, approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors, declaring Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
“The ministers urged Iran to return to the negotiating table as quickly as possible, without preconditions,” the French diplomatic source stated on Monday, emphasizing the need for Iran to “avoid any headlong rush against Western interests.”
In parallel to their direct communication with Tehran, the E3 nations reportedly conveyed messages to Israel, urging restraint and cautioning against strikes on Iranian authorities, infrastructure, or civilian populations.
The recent IAEA resolution opens the door for European officials to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council later this summer if nuclear talks show no progress, a move separate from the “snapback mechanism” to reimpose UN sanctions before the 2015 accord expires on October 18. Diplomats indicate the E3 had considered an end-of-August deadline for initiating the snapback.
Araghchi recently issued a stark warning to European powers, cautioning that any move to trigger UN sanctions on Tehran could lead to a serious and potentially irreversible escalation in tensions.
