Iranian Representatives and Three European Powers Met a Week Before Trump's Administration Begins

Only a week before Donald Trump, the elected President of the United States, returns to the White House, Iran and European powers met in Geneva to discuss Tehran's nuclear program. This meeting took place on Monday, January 14, in a confidential atmosphere with the presence of Majid Takht-Ravanchi, the political deputy of Iran's Foreign Ministry, and his counterparts from France, Britain, and Germany. Details of the meeting have not been disclosed. The ISNA news agency reported that this meeting was at the level of deputy foreign ministers and discussed 'topics of interest, especially negotiations on lifting sanctions, nuclear issues,' and the critical situation in the region. Kazem Gharibabadi, the legal and international deputy of the Foreign Ministry, was also present at these negotiations. Mr. Gharibabadi assessed the discussions as constructive on the social media platform X. He also wrote that in this meeting, 'ideas in the two areas of sanctions relief and nuclear issues, which are essential for reaching an agreement, were examined,' and 'there was a consensus that negotiations should be resumed to reach an agreement.' Christian Turner, the political director of the UK Foreign Office, also assessed the discussions as 'serious, frank, and constructive.' He added: 'In a challenging environment, we raised our concerns and emphasized our commitment to finding a diplomatic solution. We agreed to continue our discussions.' The meeting on Monday was the second round of negotiations in less than two months held in Geneva with the presence of officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Britain, France, and Germany, known as the E3. ISNA reported that Majid Takht-Ravanchi is scheduled to meet separately with Enrique Mora, the deputy coordinator of the European Union, in Geneva on Tuesday. In 2015, Iran managed to reach an agreement regarding its nuclear program known as the JCPOA with six world powers, including the United States, and sanctions against Tehran were lifted or reduced. However, three years later, in May 2018, Donald Trump's first administration withdrew from the JCPOA and intensified sanctions against Iran. Now, Trump's second administration is set to take office on January 21, and some officials of the Islamic Republic, including one of the President's advisors, are calling for negotiations with the upcoming US government to reduce economic pressures and lift sanctions.