European powers say Iran nuclear talks to take place next week, warn time running out on ‘snapback’ sanctions

France and Germany confirm that European powers will hold nuclear talks with Iran next week following a telephone conversation today between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his British, German and French and European Union counterparts.

In a statement on X following the phone call, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot says “time is running out” for the talks, as an October deadline looms for the European powers to impose “snapback” sanctions on Iran under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal.

“We have just made an important call to our Iranian counterpart regarding the nuclear program and the sanctions against Iran that we are preparing to reimpose,” says Barrot. “Time is running out. A new meeting will take place next week on this issue.”

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul writes on X that Europe remains committed to diplomacy, but “time is very short and Iran needs to engage substantively to avoid the activation of snapback.”

‘We have been clear that we will not let the snapback of sanctions expire unless there is a verifiable and durable deal,” Johann Wadephul says, adding that the Europeans have instructed their political directors to meet with Iranian counterparts next week.