Iran to host Russian, Chinese officials on Tuesday for talks on nuclear program, snapback mechanism

ISTANBUL

Iran said Monday it will host Russian and Chinese officials on Tuesday to discuss its nuclear program.

“We are in constant consultation with these two countries to prevent activation of the snapback or to mitigate its consequences,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told a news briefing in Tehran, cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The "snapback" provision under the 2015 nuclear deal allows signatories to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran if it is found in violation of the deal.

Baghaei also confirmed a planned meeting with the three European signatories of the nuclear deal – the UK, France, and Germany, along with the European Union in Istanbul on the upcoming Friday.

The meeting was set after the E3 expressed readiness to reimpose the sanctions by triggering the snapback mechanism if Tehran does not return to negotiations on its nuclear program.

"We have no plans to hold talks with the US in the current situation,” Baghaei said.

Talks between Tehran and the US were being held through Omani mediators until Israel’s surprise attack on Iran on June 13, which triggered a 12-day war. The attack came just two days before a planned sixth round of negotiations in the Omani capital, Muscat.

Iran accused the US of complicity in the Israeli attack, which killed top Iranian military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians. The US also launched strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, claiming to have obliterated them. A ceasefire took effect on June 24.