Iran, China and Russia are set to hold a trilateral meeting in Tehran today to discuss the country’s nuclear programme, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei announced yesterday.
While the Iranian Foreign Ministry has not named the participants, the trilateral discussion in Tehran is expected to take place below the ministerial level, reports Russian state media TASS.
The trilateral meet come ahead of a meeting in Istanbul between Iran and France, Germany and the United Kingdom, or the E3 nations, on July 25.
The E3 nations, China and Russia are the remaining nations involved in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the nuclear deal that lifted sanctions on Iran in return for restrictions on its nuclear program.
On June 13, Israel launched a military operation against Iran after accusing it of secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program, after detecting signs of highly enriched uranium, way above what was needed for civil use.
The IDF strikes targeted nuclear facilities, military leadership as well as air bases and killed several members of Tehran’s top brass, including the military commanders of the Iranian Army and the IRGC, and key nuclear scientists.
Iran rejected the allegations and retaliated, launching drones into Israeli airspace. The United States conducted a one-time attack on three of Iran’s nuclear sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo, on June 22.
Tehran struck the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in response but said it had “no intention of further escalation.”
Both Tehran and Jerusalem are currently holding an uneasy and fragile ceasefire, with both countries keeping their militaries battle ready and weapon systems operational.
Adding further urgency, the Tehran meeting precedes renewed nuclear talks with France, Germany, and the UK scheduled for July 25 in Istanbul.
(UNI)
