Iran, European powers to discuss nuclear talks, sanctions, IRNA reports

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi will have a joint phone call with his French, British and German counterparts on Friday to discuss nuclear talks and sanctions, state news agency IRNA reported.

The three European powers have threatened to activate United Nations sanctions on Iran under a "snapback" mechanism if Iran does not return to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme. The countries, along with the United States, contend Iran is using the nuclear programme to potentially develop weapons, which Iran denies.

Tehran suspended negotiations with the U.S., which were aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic's nuclear ambitions, after the U.S. and Israel struck its nuclear sites in June.

Since then, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have been unable to access Iran's nuclear installations, despite IAEA chief Rafael Grossi stating that inspections remain essential.

(Reporting by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Christian Schmollinger)