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| Iran flag |
The two sides last held high-level contact in April. Five rounds of expert and ministerial meetings ran from mid-April through early June in Muscat and Rome . Each round saw indirect talks via Omani mediators between Iran’s Abbas Araghchi and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
That effort aimed to revive an agreement shelved when Washington left the 2015 deal in 2018. Iran offered steps to limit its enrichment and restore UN inspections. The U.S. pressed for dismantling higher-level enrichment and greater safeguards .
Efforts unraveled when Israel launched surprise strikes on June 13. Tehran says those attacks hit nuclear sites and killed civilians and scientists . Iran then responded with drone and missile raids on Israel and struck a U.S. base in Qatar .
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| Damage at Natanz & Isfahan sites for context—shows regional scale. |
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| High-resolution satellite image with six crater clusters near ventilation shafts |
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| Aerial view of cratered ridge from bunker‑buster strikes—visible holes. |
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| Smoke rising from Fordo after initial attack—a plume marks aboveground impact. |
U.S. forces joined in on June 22, striking at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan facilities, in what President Trump called a setback to Iran’s nuclear progress . The scale of damage remains under UN review. Iran says it is still assessing repair needs .
Key points
1. Iran has not set a new meeting date with the U.S. over nuclear talks.
2. Five rounds of talks ran April–June but stopped after Israel’s June strikes.
3. Iran denies seeking bombs; it enriches uranium to 60%, short of weapons grade.
4. Europe may trigger UN “snapback” sanctions if no deal comes soon .
Europe’s three JCPOA partners—Britain, France and Germany—warn they could reimpose UN sanctions under the deal’s snapback clause. Iran calls that move unjust and vows to respond “in kind,” without saying how .
A French diplomatic source told Reuters Europe may need to act if no new deal eases their security fears . Iran insists it still sees itself as part of the 2015 pact, but it has rolled back many commitments since 2019 .
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, and top officials say they still want talks with Washington. They argue the U.S. can make a clean diplomatic split from Israel’s military actions . But hard-liners in Tehran resist dialogue after the strikes.
Analysts say the Israeli attacks shifted power toward pragmatists who back renewed talks. Yet conservatives worry any deal may leave Iran vulnerable to new Western pressure. They seek guarantees that no more attacks will happen during talks .
Tehran has also limited cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. Last week it said it would work with inspectors but warned visits could be risky amid heightened threats .
Economic strain is rising. U.S. sanctions have cut Iran’s oil revenue. Renewed UN penalties would deepen a financial crisis that sparked nationwide strikes in early 2025 . Iran floated selling enriched uranium to revive its industry, but that plan stalled when Araghchi’s public speech was canceled .
Tehran also fears that a second U.S. withdrawal from any new pact could repeat 2018’s chaos. Iranian diplomats want iron-clad guarantees before they meet again. They say Europe must back any fresh deal to offset U.S. risks .
Experts note Iran’s enriched stockpile has grown. The UN’s atomic agency says it sees no proof Tehran seeks weapons. But uranium at 60% purity lies near bomb grade . That gap worries Israel and some U.S. hawks in Congress.
In Washington, the White House urges Iran back to the table. President Trump’s team calls on Tehran to act fast before spring elections raise political stakes. U.S. officials stress diplomacy over war, even as they defend past strikes .
The coming days will test if cooler heads prevail. Iran must weigh the cost of more sanctions and military risk. The U.S. must decide if it can bridge trust gaps shattered by war.