Overview

• Britain, France and Germany have agreed in principle to hold fresh nuclear discussions with Iran next week and are finalizing the timing and venue.
• These will be the first negotiations since U.S. B-2 bomber strikes on Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz in June halted earlier diplomacy.
• European diplomats warn they will activate the JCPOA’s snapback mechanism to reimpose sanctions if no verifiable deal is reached by the end of summer.
• Iran maintains its nuclear program is intended for civilian purposes while Western allies continue to suspect Tehran of pursuing weapons capability.
• The 2015 JCPOA framework, which expires in October, underpins these talks and embeds the snapback mechanism for addressing non-compliance.