Egypt agrees with Iran, US, IAEA to continue talks to find solution to Iranian nuclear issue

CAIRO/ISTANBUL

Egypt agreed on Saturday with Iran, the US, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to continue following up on efforts, consultations, and proposed ideas aimed at achieving a breakthrough in the Iranian nuclear issue, according to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone conversations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to discuss potential solutions to the Iranian nuclear issue, the ministry said in a statement.

It added that the calls were conducted “within the framework of efforts to support security, stability, and de-escalation in the region” and to build on the momentum generated after the Cairo Agreement signed between Iran and the IAEA on Sept. 9, 2025, which restored cooperation between the two sides after it had been suspended since June 2025 through Egyptian mediation.

The discussions stressed the “need to continue working toward de-escalation and confidence-building” and to “create conditions for reviving negotiations between Iran and the US to reach a comprehensive agreement on the nuclear file that addresses the interests of all parties and contributes to regional security and stability.”

The statement concluded that the parties agreed to “continue following up on efforts and communications and to study the ideas proposed to achieve the hoped-for breakthrough.”

The consultations came hours after Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that Tehran is no longer bound by UN restrictions on its nuclear program, saying the term of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal, officially ended on Oct. 18, 2025.

Resolution 2231, valid for 10 years, endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group (the US, China, Russia, France, Germany, and the UK), which limited Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions imposed by the Council.

On Aug. 28, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany (E3) announced the activation of the “snapback” mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, accusing Tehran of breaching its obligations after the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018.

Israel, the US, and several European countries accuse Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is purely peaceful, aimed at power generation and civilian use.