The foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Britain are set to meet their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva for high-stakes nuclear talks, a German diplomat said.
The ministers will first convene with the European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, at Germany’s permanent mission in Geneva before sitting down for a joint meeting with Iran’s foreign minister. The European-led initiative is taking place in coordination with the United States, the source added.
The talks come at a critical moment, as fears mount over a deepening conflict in the Middle East. Last week, Israel launched extensive military strikes against Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with waves of missile attacks on Israeli targets. The escalating hostilities have raised alarms across the international community.
While President Donald Trump has so far declined to clarify whether the U.S. will directly support Israel’s military campaign, his silence has added to concerns about the potential for a broader regional war.
According to the German source, the objective of the Geneva talks is to secure firm guarantees from Iran that its nuclear program will remain exclusively civilian in nature. The discussions are expected to be followed by a structured dialogue at the expert level.
Israel has stated that its military campaign aims to dismantle Iran’s capacity to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran, however, continues to insist that its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz drew Tehran’s ire earlier this week by publicly backing Israel’s actions and warning that Iran must de-escalate or risk even greater consequences.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also addressed Iran’s leadership directly, urging a diplomatic path forward: “It’s never too late to come to the negotiating table,” he said on Wednesday, emphasizing the need for transparency and concrete assurances regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
