France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot will meet Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Paris on Wednesday to discuss bilateral and regional issues, as well as Iran’s disputed nuclear program, the French foreign ministry announced Monday, according to Reuters.
“This will be an opportunity for us to call on Iran to comply with its obligations towards the IAEA and for a swift resumption of cooperation with the agency,” the ministry said ahead of Araghchi’s visit.
Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after Israel and the US struck its nuclear sites in June, barring inspectors from visiting the damaged sites. Iran accused the UN agency of bias and failing to condemn the attacks.
An agreement announced in September between Iran and the IAEA, intended to resume inspections and uranium accounting, has since been declared void by Tehran after Britain, France, and Germany triggered the return of UN sanctions previously lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.
According to Monday’s announcement, the two ministers will also address the fate of two French citizens who remain at the French embassy in Tehran after being released but barred from leaving Iran.
Iran’s foreign ministry confirmed the planned talks, adding Araghchi would raise the case of an Iranian student conditionally released by France in late October. Tehran said it would strive for the student’s full release.
The student, Mahdieh Esfandiari, living in Lyon, was arrested earlier this year over anti-Israel social media posts.