Iran to hold nuclear talks in Geneva with European powers amid looming Trump presidency

Iran will hold talks about its disputed nuclear programme with three European powers on November 29, the Iranian foreign ministry said on Sunday, days after the UN atomic watchdog passed a resolution against Tehran.

Iran reacted to the resolution – proposed by Britain, France, Germany and the United States – with what government officials called various measures such as activating numerous new and advanced centrifuges, machines that enrich uranium.

The meeting will take place on Friday in Geneva, as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s government seeks a solution to the nuclear impasse ahead of the inauguration in January of US president-elect Donald Trump.

A senior Iranian official confirmed that the meeting would go ahead next Friday, adding, “Tehran has always believed that the nuclear issue should be resolved through diplomacy. Iran has never left the talks.”

Separately, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei later said the deputy foreign ministers of Iran and the three European countries would take part in the talks.

“Views will be exchanged … on a range of regional discussions and subjects including the issues of Palestine, Lebanon and also the nuclear subject”, Baghaei said.