The United States has said it is ready to speak with the Iranian regime if the European Union approves a meeting

The United States government on Thursday said it would be willing to hold talks with Iran if the European Union invites a meeting to step up efforts to reactivate a nuclear deal.

“The United States would accept an invitation from the High Representative of the European Union to attend a meeting of the P5 + 1 (Washington, Russia, China, United Kingdom, France and Germany) and Iran to discuss a diplomatic channel on Iran. nuclear program “, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

“We are ready to introduce ourselves if such a meeting takes place”, had already said Reuters a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, after talks between the foreign ministers of the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany.

And according to Reuters, a senior EU official also said he was ready to call such a meeting between the parties to the deal: the UK, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States. United.

In a joint statement following a virtual meeting, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States said on Thursday that they were determined that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon and expressed concern about Tehran’s recent measures.

“Regarding Iran, E3 and the United States have expressed their common and fundamental security interest in defending the nuclear non-proliferation regime and ensuring that Iran can never develop a weapon. nuclear, ”the ministers said.

This is the second time that the new US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, has met with his European counterparts, who form the so-called E3 group.

The ministers “expressed their Common concern over recent steps taken by Iran to produce both uranium enriched up to 20% and metallic uraniumThe statement said.

Iran had set a deadline for next week for that Biden begin to reverse the sanctions imposed by Trump, a move that was announced this Thursday by the White House, Or would it take the most important step to date in violation of the 2015 nuclear deal: ban short-term inspections by the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency? (IAEA).

E3 and the United States said in their statement they were “united in underscoring the dangerous nature of a decision to limit access to the IAEA and urging Iran to consider the consequences of an action. so serious, especially in this time of new diplomatic opportunities. . “.

E3 “welcomed the declared intention of the United States to return to diplomacy with Iran, as well as the resumption of a secure and in-depth dialogue between E3 and the United States.”

With information from Reuters and AFP

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