Germany Iran considers return to the negotiating table after US attacks
Following the US attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, President Donald Trump wants to initiate a new round of negotiations on the nuclear program. However, it is still unclear if and when the negotiators from Washington and Tehran will sit down at the table. "We don't have anything planned at the moment," said Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. The US President had announced new talks with Iran for next week at the NATO summit, but did not provide any details.
27.06.2025, 05:14
SDA
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the exchange with several colleagues, but was cautious about new nuclear negotiations with the USA. "But as far as negotiations with the USA are concerned, we are currently evaluating what is best for our national interests," he told state broadcaster IRIB. So far, there are no plans or commitments to resume negotiations.
Wadephul on Iran negotiations: "We have a real trump card"
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) believes that the Europeans are in a good position in possible negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. "We have a very good hand," said Wadephul in the ZDF talk show "Maybrit Illner". The Europeans could use the so-called snapback mechanism to trigger sanctions against Tehran. "We have a real trump card. They know that in Washington and we will use it together in a coordinated manner." The aim is still to reach a negotiated solution.
The 2015 Vienna Agreement on Iran's nuclear program formally expires in October 2025 - even if it is no longer applied in practice. Until then, the Europeans, as co-signatories, have the option of using the so-called snapback mechanism to reinstate earlier and strict UN sanctions against Iran without major resistance. This means that European governments, even if they are not directly at the negotiating table with Iran regarding its nuclear program, still have an important means of exerting pressure.
E3 group talks with Iranians
Wadephul emphasized that he is in contact with the USA, but also with his Iranian counterpart. The so-called E3, consisting of Germany, France and Great Britain, are "the ones who talk to the Iranians" and establish contacts with them. Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi, on the other hand, demanded an explanation from the E3 states as to the importance of international law in their policies. International law experts had classified the attack by the USA and Israel on the nuclear facilities as illegal.
Araghchi also criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's statement that Israel had done the "dirty work" with its attacks on Iran.
CNN: Prospect of billions in investment in civilian nuclear program
In order to make a return to the negotiating table palatable to the Iranian government, according to a report by CNN, Washington is discussing an investment package worth billions in a civilian nuclear program in Iran. The US broadcaster reported, citing several people familiar with the plans, that the condition is that no more uranium is enriched in future.
In addition to investments of up to 30 billion US dollars in the civilian nuclear program, the lifting of some sanctions against Iran and the unblocking of blocked bank accounts at foreign banks are also being discussed. In addition to the United States, several Arab countries are also involved in the discussions, which the US government hopes will provide the investment, according to the report.
Tehran accuses IAEA of complicity in attacks on nuclear facilities
The Iranian government is currently not planning to receive the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi. The Iranian parliament recently voted in favor of suspending cooperation with the IAEA until the "security" of the nuclear facilities is guaranteed. In recent days, Iranian officials have accused the IAEA and Grossi of being partly responsible for the attacks on Iran by Israel and the USA due to their reports on the Iranian nuclear program.
One day after the ceasefire between Israel and Iran began, Grossi announced that he wanted to travel to Iran himself as soon as possible and meet Araghchi. Grossi has recently repeatedly emphasized the need for IAEA inspectors to resume their work and inspect Iran's nuclear facilities following the attacks.
Iran admits "considerable" damage to nuclear facilities
The damage to Iran's nuclear facilities following the Israeli and US attacks was "considerable", said Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi. It was the first time that a high-ranking government representative had commented on and admitted the consequences of the attacks on the nuclear program.
It is unclear exactly how badly the nuclear facilities were damaged in the attacks with bunker-busting bombs. According to estimates by the US foreign intelligence agency CIA, it would take years to rebuild the facilities. A preliminary report by the US military intelligence agency DIA, on the other hand, concluded that the nuclear program had only been set back by a few months.
