Iran and European ministers make only minimal progress in nuclear talks

Iranian and European ministers made minimal progress on Wednesday in negotiations aimed at preventing the reimposition of international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program.

The United Kingdom, France, and Germany initiated a 30-day process to reinstate UN sanctions at the end of August and set conditions that Iran must meet in September.

The Europeans are demanding that Iran restore access for UN nuclear inspectors and resume talks with the US. Although Iran agreed to resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Western diplomats consider the agreement insufficiently detailed and doubt Iran's intentions.

The German Foreign Ministry said the sanctions would be reimposed if Iran did not take the necessary measures in the coming days.

The sanctions would affect Iran's financial, banking, energy, and defense sectors. Tehran has repeatedly stated that such measures would force a response, but has not yet specified what that response would be.

(reuters, sie)