European foreign ministers are stepping up diplomatic efforts to contain the escalating crisis between Israel and Iran, with a high-stakes meeting scheduled in Geneva on Friday aimed at reviving nuclear negotiations with Tehran.
The foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — along with the European Union’s foreign policy chief, are set to meet Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
Their goal: to draw Iran back to the negotiating table and prevent a spiraling regional conflict, even as the United States considers joining Israeli strikes against Iranian targets.
A satellite image shows the damaged Arak heavy water reactor facilities, following Israelli airstrikes, in Iran, June 19, 2025. Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MUST NOT OBSCURE LOGO.
Talks collapsed earlier this month after Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion” targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile sites. With direct U.S.-Iran negotiations halted, European diplomats have positioned themselves as critical intermediaries. “The Iranians can’t sit down with the Americans whereas we can,” one diplomat noted. “We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst-case scenario.”
EU Is Frustrated But Hopes
The meeting in Geneva — the same city where initial nuclear accords were struck in 2013 — is a rare opportunity to reengage with Iran diplomatically. However, expectations for a breakthrough are low. European diplomats have stressed the importance of dialogue, even if only to keep communication channels open amid worsening hostilities.
Bedouin children stand outside a tunnel under a bridge they use as a shelter in case of a rocket siren alert for a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in southern Negev, Israel June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
In recent days, the E3 and EU have expressed frustration over the U.S. approach to previous nuclear talks, criticizing what they saw as unrealistic demands and a lack of a strong initial framework. With Washington now weighing military involvement, European leaders are urgently seeking to prevent further escalation.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, after talks in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, emphasized the urgency: “A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,” he posted on X.
Tehran Open to Diplomacy
Despite its growing isolation, Tehran insists it remains open to diplomacy. “Iran remains committed to diplomacy as the only path to resolving disputes — but diplomacy is under attack,” an Iranian official said, calling on the E3 to pressure Israel to halt its strikes.
As reported by Reuters, Tehran is willing to talk only about nuclear and regional issues, while its ballistic missile program is off-limits.
The diplomatic push also comes on the heels of a recent resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors, with backing from the E3 and the U.S., declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. European officials have warned that, if progress stalls, they could refer Iran to the UN Security Council later this summer.
Chinese ambassador Wu Hailong, French Foreign Secretary Laurent Fabius, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, Alexey Karpov, the deputy director of the department for nonproliferation and arms control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R-L) pose in Lausanne April 2, 2015. Iran and world powers reached a framework on curbing Iran’s nuclear programme at marathon talks in Switzerland on Thursday that will allow further negotiations towards a final agreement. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich
Separately, the E3 holds a unique lever: the power to trigger the UN “snapback” mechanism — re-imposing sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, which expires on October 18. European diplomats have discussed setting a final deadline for triggering snapback by the end of August. Iran has warned such a move would have “serious consequences.”
While the path to a comprehensive resolution remains uncertain, EU leaders are clearly positioning themselves as the last diplomatic bridge — hoping to forestall a wider conflict and preserve what remains of the nuclear deal framework.
