European, Iranian FMs to hold nuclear talks Friday in Geneva

Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany together with the EU's top diplomat will hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva Friday, officials and diplomats said.
The meeting comes as European countries call for de-escalation in the face of Israel's bombing campaign against Iran's nuclear programme -- and as US President Donald Trump weighs whether to join the strikes against Tehran.
"We will meet with the European delegation in Geneva on Friday," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.
European diplomats separately confirmed the planned talks, set to involve French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Lammy was in Washington on Thursday, where he was due to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for talks focused on Iran, the State Department said.
Trump has said he is weighing military action against Iran's nuclear facilities as Israel pummels the country and Tehran responds with missile fire.
France, Germany, Britain and the European Union were all signatories of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran sunk by Trump during his first term in office.
The EU's Kallas, in coordination with European capitals, has insisted diplomacy remains the best path towards ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear bomb.
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said European nations were planning to suggest a negotiated solution to end the Iran-Israel conflict. He has asked his foreign minister to draw up an initiative with "close partners" to that end.
Barrot has been in regular touch with his German and British counterparts since Israel launched massive air strikes against Iran on Friday.
Speaking in Paris after talks on the crisis Thursday, Barrot said the three nations "stand ready to bring our competence and experience on this matter.
"We are ready to take part in negotiations aimed at obtaining from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes," he added.
The French top diplomat also underlined Iran's "willingness to resume talks" including with the United States "on condition there is a ceasefire".
Israel says its air campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent -- far above the 3.67-percent limit set by a 2015 deal with international powers, but still short of the 90-percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead.

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