Iran, European powers agree to resume nuclear, sanctions talks next week

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and his French, British and German counterparts agreed on Friday to resume talks next week on nuclear issues, Iranian state media reported, as a threat by the European powers to reimpose sanctions looms.

The three countries have said they could re-activate United Nations sanctions on Iran under a "snapback" mechanism if Tehran does not return to negotiations on a deal to curb its disputed uranium enrichment programme. 

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul confirmed talks next week and warned Iran that sanctions would snap back into effect unless it reached a verifiable and durable deal to defuse concerns about its nuclear ambitions. He reiterated that time was very short and Iran needed to engage substantively.

Iranian state media said Araqchi and the British, French and German foreign ministers agreed during a phone call for deputy foreign ministers to continue the talks on Tuesday.

During the call, Araqchi "emphasised the legal and moral incompetence of these countries to resort to the (snapback) mechanism, and warned of the consequences of such an action", Iranian media reported.

The European trio, along with the U.S., contend that Iran is using the nuclear energy programme to potentially develop weapons capability in violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Iran says it seeks only civilian nuclear power.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, has stated that Iran is nowhere near developing a nuclear bomb, and U.S. national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard testified in March that intelligence officials had not found evidence of Iran moving toward a nuclear weapon.

The Islamic Republic suspended nuclear negotiations with the United States, which were aimed at curbing its accelerating enrichment programme, after the U.S. and Israel bombed its nuclear sites during a 12-day war in June.

Since then, IAEA inspectors have been unable to access Iran's nuclear installations, despite IAEA chief Rafael Grossi stating that inspections remain essential.

Iran and the three European powers last convened in Geneva on June 20, while the war was still raging, and there were few signs of progress.

Separately, Iran's envoy to the IAEA said an Iranian delegation and IAEA officials had agreed in talks in Vienna on Friday to discuss ways to interact within the framework of a law passed by Iran's parliament that curbs Tehran's cooperation with the nuclear watchdog, the official news agency IRNA reported.