Nournews: Esmaeil Baqaei, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, announced that a meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Iran, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will be held in Geneva on Friday to discuss mutual, regional, and international issues.
It has been reported that Majid Takht-Ravanchi, the political deputy foreign minister, a veteran diplomat who participated in the JCPOA negotiations, will lead the Iranian delegation.
The United States, Russia, and China will not be present at these talks.
The exact topics of negotiation between Iran and the three European countries—Germany, the UK, and France—have not yet been announced. However, it is notable that these three European countries recently proposed an anti-Iran resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting and adopted an aggressive stance against Iran.
Despite the adoption of the recent resolution against Iran, Tehran has announced that it remains committed to dialogue for resolving disagreements. However, important questions remain regarding the motives and goals of the three European countries attending Friday’s meeting in Geneva.
Given the history of European countries breaching their promises in implementing the JCPOA, their inconsistent behavior following America’s illegal withdrawal from the deal, and their recent aggressive actions at the IAEA Board of Governors meeting, it cannot be assumed that the talks will take place in an atmosphere of trust.
Moreover, holding a meeting shortly after the adoption of an anti-Iran resolution raises serious questions. Was Europe’s recent move at the IAEA Board of Governors a strategic ploy to strengthen their position at Friday’s meeting?
If the three European countries enter negotiations with Iran under any illusions, they will face a firm response. Just as Iran quickly reacted to the anti-Iran resolution by activating advanced centrifuges for enrichment, its representatives in Geneva will stand strong, defending Iran’s national interests based on its principled positions in bilateral, regional, and international matters.
Another important point to consider in negotiations with Europe is the fragile and highly vulnerable situation of these countries. Their involvement in the Ukraine war and serious concerns about future relations with the U.S., especially after Trump’s rise to power, have left them in a state of complete weakness.
Furthermore, Europe’s history of inaction in fulfilling its JCPOA commitments after the U.S. withdrew showed that these countries either cannot or will not act independently of American policies. The one-year grace period Iran gave Europe to compensate for America’s exit brought no results. Beyond a few empty trips and symbolic gestures, the financial mechanism INSTEX, which was supposed to facilitate trade between Iran and Europe, was never implemented.
Although Iran and Europe’s relationship over the past 40 years has been filled with unconstructive behavior, broken promises, and inaction—with little benefit for Iran—keeping the door open for dialogue with Europe is not a negative step. Strategic wisdom supports continuing this path.
Iran’s experienced and revolutionary officials in foreign policy are well aware of the need to base negotiations on Europe’s real influence and not its hollow claims. Dignity, wisdom, and expediency remain the three guiding principles of Iran’s foreign policy and always shape its priorities in international relations.
European countries should also understand that actions like their recent anti-Iran resolution at the IAEA Board of Governors not only fail to weaken Iran’s determination to pursue its principled policies but also make resolving mutual disputes and challenges harder and less effective. Friendly dialogue requires constructive behavior, and hostile actions only serve to undermine progress.
NOURNEWS