Iran-E3 Istanbul Meeting: A Diplomatic Turning Point

In a significant diplomatic development, Iran announced that its meeting with the E3 group—France, Britain, and Germany—in Istanbul offers the trio an opportunity to rethink their positions on Iran's nuclear program.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, expressed in an interview with IRNA that discussions on extending U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231 are regarded by Iran as 'doubly meaningless and baseless.' This resolution, part of the 2015 agreement where Iran agreed to curb its nuclear enrichment, will expire in October.

The resolution afforded major powers the right to reinstate U.N. sanctions on Iran, an outcome Tehran seems eager to prevent as the expiration date approaches.

(With inputs from agencies.)