Iran Confirms Indirect Talks with United States via Mediators

Tehran Times

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Majid Takht Ravanchi.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Majid Takht Ravanchi, has confirmed the existence of indirect communications between Tehran and Washington through intermediaries.

During an interview with the Turkish Haber Turk TV channel, Ravanchi said that exchanges between Iran and the United States are being conducted via certain mediators. He also noted that during recent talks held in Istanbul with representatives from three European countries, Iran reiterated that uranium enrichment remains a fundamental component of any potential agreement.

Ravanchi’s remarks followed a second round of nuclear negotiations held last Friday in Istanbul between Iran and the European Troika — the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. The discussions lasted approximately three and a half hours and concluded with a general agreement to continue talks, though no significant breakthroughs were announced.

The Deputy Minister stated that while no date or location has yet been confirmed for the next round of negotiations, Istanbul remains Iran’s preferred venue — a choice also supported by the three European nations.

“In the Istanbul talks with the European Troika, we emphasised that uranium enrichment in Iran is a non-negotiable part of any agreement,” Ravanchi said.

Meanwhile, European powers have stepped up pressure on Tehran. In a phone call on Saturday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran by the end of August, should Tehran fail to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and return to the diplomatic process.

A statement from Prime Minister Starmer’s office confirmed that the three leaders discussed Iran, Gaza, and Ukraine, warning that time is running out for diplomacy.

Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 with the P5+1 — the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany — agreeing to curtail its nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. However, the deal began to unravel in 2018 when the United States withdrew from the agreement and reinstated a series of sanctions.

In response, Iran gradually scaled back its compliance with the accord. Efforts to revive the agreement have since stalled amid rising regional tensions and diverging international priorities. European powers have recently threatened to trigger the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism, which would allow UN sanctions to be reinstated in the event of Iranian non-compliance.



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