Top diplomats from Iran and the E3 (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) and the European Union’s foreign policy chief are set to hold a crucial joint meeting in New York on Tuesday, September 23. The discussions will center on finding a diplomatic solution following the E3’s recent activation of the “snapback” mechanism at the UN Security Council, a move that aims to reimpose prior UN sanctions on Tehran.
The high-stakes meeting, taking place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, will also likely include International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi, Iran Nuances learned.
The diplomatic push comes at a moment of heightened tension. Earlier today, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, met with Director General Grossi in New York. During their discussion, the two reviewed the latest status of cooperation and interactions between Iran and the nuclear watchdog.
In the meeting, Foreign Minister Araghchi emphasized Iran’s “goodwill and responsible” approach to its nuclear program. However, he firmly stated that any further progress is contingent on “the accountability of the other parties and an end to their excessive demands and misuse of the Security Council to pressure Iran.”
For his part, Director General Grossi praised Iran’s positive approach in its engagement with the Agency, specifically highlighting the recent “Cairo Understanding.” He stressed the urgent need for all relevant parties to utilize diplomatic channels to prevent further escalation of tensions.
The upcoming joint meeting is seen as a critical and final effort to de-escalate the crisis sparked by the E3’s decision to trigger the snapback provision of the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA).
All eyes will now be on Tuesday’s meeting to see if a diplomatic off-ramp can be found before the sanctions snap back into effect, which could unravel the remaining framework of the nuclear accord and deepen the international standoff.
