Tehran consults Moscow and Beijing ahead of nuclear talks

Senior diplomats from Iran, Russia and China convened in Tehran to coordinate their positions on Iran’s nuclear programme and Western sanctions ahead of upcoming negotiations in Istanbul.

According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, the meeting focused on the current state of nuclear negotiations involving Iran, the United States and European powers. The delegations agreed to hold follow-up consultations in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Iranian state television announced that nuclear talks with the United Kingdom, France and Germany would resume this Friday in Istanbul, at the request of the European signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), signed in 2015, was agreed between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia – plus Germany. However, on 8 May 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sweeping economic sanctions on Iran.

Tensions escalated recently when Israel launched a 12-day military campaign against Iran on 13 June, involving reciprocal strikes and resulting in hundreds of casualties. A ceasefire was brokered by Washington and announced on 24 June, with both sides claiming victory.

Prior to the Israeli offensive, Tehran and Washington had held multiple rounds of indirect negotiations regarding Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran has always denied haveing a nuclear weapons programme.

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