Iran and Britain Confirm Negotiation Plans Between Tehran and Three European Countries

The spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry confirmed reports of the resumption of nuclear negotiations with three European countries, stating that these talks will be held between the deputies of the foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany, and Britain. Ismail Baqai announced in a press conference on Sunday, December 4, that these negotiations will begin next Friday, December 9, "on bilateral, regional, and international issues." He mentioned that the meetings will take place "on the sidelines of the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York" and will cover "a range of regional and international topics including Palestine, Lebanon, and the nuclear issue." He did not provide details on the location of these negotiations. Shortly after, Britain also confirmed the planning for negotiations between Iran and the three European countries. According to France Presse, the British Foreign Ministry stated: "We are committed to taking all diplomatic steps to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, even if we have to activate the trigger mechanism." Earlier, Japan's Kyodo News reported on Sunday morning that the Islamic Republic is arranging nuclear negotiations with Britain and the European Union starting next Friday in Geneva, Switzerland. The announcement of these negotiations comes just days after the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a resolution against Iran. Iran responded to this resolution, proposed by Britain, France, Germany, and the United States, with actions that government officials described as "activating several new and advanced centrifuges." Centrifuges are machines that enrich uranium. On Sunday, December 4, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated in a public session regarding the mentioned resolution that "the Islamic Republic of Iran's reciprocal response to this political abuse of the Agency's Board of Governors was immediately put on the agenda, and the launch of a series of new and advanced centrifuges began." Behrouz Kamalvandi stated on the evening of Friday, December 2, in an interview with Islamic Republic TV that the 60% enrichment has not stopped during this time and "we were instructed to increase the speed as well." Several other officials of the Islamic Republic also spoke on Friday about "reciprocal actions" against the Agency and made various threats. Qalibaf stated: "In response to the Board of Governors' resolution, we have launched new centrifuges." Among them, Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, threatened that "if the case is to return to the same vicious cycle," Iran will exit the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty). While several officials of the Islamic Republic have spoken about threats such as increasing uranium enrichment, others have emphasized Tehran's readiness to engage with the Agency and also with the new government of Donald Trump in the United States. For instance, Mohsen Nazari Asl, Iran's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, stated on Friday that the Islamic Republic is "ready for positive engagement to achieve a sustainable solution through dialogue and constructive cooperation." Previously, Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, described the remaining year until the expiration of Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA as a "critical year" and warned about the possibility of activating the trigger mechanism during this period.