Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with top diplomats from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the European Union in Geneva on Friday in a crucial diplomatic attempt to stop the Middle East from getting worse. The negotiations take place just one week after an international community-wide shockwave caused a long-simmering standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions to explode into open conflict between Iran and Israel.
The first in-person encounter between Iranian officials and Western diplomats since the start of hostilities took place when Araghchi arrived in the Swiss city for private talks at a five-star hotel. His visit comes after Iranian retaliatory missile attacks and a flurry of Israeli airstrikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets, which have raised concerns about a wider regional conflict.
Araghchi stated in a statement prior to the talks that Iran has no plans to interact directly with the US at this time. In an interview aired on Iranian state television, he stated, “We have nothing to discuss with Washington as long as the Zionist regime continues its aggression and the U.S. remains complicit.” He clarified that Tehran is not currently open to full negotiations, but he did indicate a limited willingness to participate in what he called “dialogue” with European countries.
European officials are cautiously hopeful that diplomacy may still provide a way forward despite the firm stance. There is a slim but genuine chance to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough, according to British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who took a plane to Geneva after meeting with White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. “The next two weeks are crucial,” Lammy stated. “There is a small window of opportunity to reach a peaceful resolution.”
Meanwhile, it has been reported that President Donald Trump is considering a possible American military attack on Iran’s heavily fortified Fordo uranium enrichment site, which is located beneath a mountain. One of Iran’s most secure nuclear installations, it would probably take sophisticated “bunker-buster” munitions to breach. Citing a potential resuscitation of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program as justification for restraint—for the time being—Trump has publicly declared that he will decide within two weeks whether to order a direct U.S. intervention.
The 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for stringent limitations on its nuclear activities, was made possible in large part by the European powers that attended the Geneva talks. European countries have attempted to keep the agreement afloat while the United States withdrew from it during Trump’s first term. But they have become impatient in recent months. If Iran continues to obstruct International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, all three nations have threatened to reimpose sanctions that were removed under the original agreement.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul admitted in a statement after his arrival that years of negotiations have not completely allayed concerns about Iran’s nuclear aspirations. However, he underlined that diplomatic efforts are still valuable. He stated in a podcast published by German broadcaster MDR that “we have a chance to prevent this conflict from spiraling even further if Iran shows genuine transparency and readiness to refrain from steps toward weaponization.” Despite the lack of direct U.S.-Iranian talks, Wadephul emphasized that the United States is fully aware of and supports the European diplomatic outreach, pointing to a coordinated Western front.
Iran, meanwhile, is still adamant that its nuclear program is only being used for peaceful purposes. International concerns have been heightened by its decision to enrich uranium to 60% purity, which is just below weapons-grade. Earlier in the day, during a brief appearance before the U.N. Human Rights Council, Araghchi defended Iran’s right to use all available means to defend its sovereignty and condemned Israel’s military strikes on nuclear facilities as war crimes.
Araghchi pointed out that the Geneva talks would only cover nuclear matters and regional advancements, even though Iran flatly rejected any talks over its ballistic missile program. “There is no reason to talk about our missiles. We’re ready for a respectful, targeted conversation, not surrender,” he stated.
In a phone conversation with Secretary Rubio prior to the meeting, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot emphasized that France is prepared to back a “comprehensive and technical” offer to Iran that would help defuse the situation.
A French diplomatic source claims that Rubio gave Barrot the assurance that while the United States is willing to engage directly with Tehran at any time, it will not put pressure on its European allies to serve as go-betweens indefinitely.
