Switzerland is facilitating a second round of talks between Iran and key European nations, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, to address longstanding concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. The first round of these discussions reportedly took place in secret in Geneva. However, German officials have stressed that these engagements are merely “consultations” and not formal negotiations.
The discussions are set to begin on January 13 and continue the following day. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei outlined the broad scope of the agenda, highlighting that the primary objective is the removal of sanctions imposed on Iran. He further stated that Tehran is open to listening to issues raised by the European counterparts, signaling some willingness for dialogue.
France’s Foreign Ministry recently described the talks as evidence that European countries are continuing efforts to find a diplomatic solution to what it called Iran’s “problematic” nuclear activities. French President Emmanuel Macron echoed these concerns earlier in the month, noting that Iran’s nuclear program had surpassed acceptable thresholds. Macron emphasized that Tehran poses a growing challenge for the region and Europe.
In December, the UK, France, and Germany accused Iran of enriching uranium to a purity level of 60 percent—close to the threshold needed for weapons-grade material. They also warned that they might invoke the “snapback mechanism,” which would reinstate sanctions automatically and unilaterally through the UN Security Council. This mechanism is a provision of the 2015 nuclear agreement, which the United States withdrew from in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, leading to the reimposition of harsh sanctions on Iran.
The backdrop of these talks includes escalating tensions. Last year, the EU expanded sanctions targeting Iran’s missile and drone programs, which have had significant impacts on the country’s civilian population. Moreover, recent reports indicate that outgoing U.S. officials had discussed potential preemptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Speculation is also growing that Trump, who is set to return to the White House later this month, might revive his aggressive “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran.
Despite allegations from Israel and Western nations that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, outgoing CIA Director William Burns recently contradicted such claims. In an interview on January 10, he stated that Tehran has not decided to weaponize its nuclear program, though he acknowledged that the situation requires close monitoring.
Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes and is guided by a religious fatwa prohibiting weapons of mass destruction. Nevertheless, some Iranian officials have hinted at potential shifts in this stance. Aladdin Boroujerdi, a member of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, suggested last month that withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) could be considered to protect national interests, though such a decision would require parliamentary approval.
Meanwhile, Kamal Kharrazi, a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, recently warned that Iran might reconsider its nuclear doctrine if the country faces an existential threat. He stated that Iran possesses the technical capacity to produce nuclear weapons but remains bound by the leader’s fatwa, which prohibits such development.
