A senior Iranian official on Saturday dismissed the latest European proposals on Iran’s nuclear program as “unrealistic,” warning that sticking to them would stall progress toward any agreement. The comments followed a meeting in Geneva between Iran’s foreign minister and his British, French, German, and EU counterparts aimed at halting further escalation between Iran and Israel.

“The discussions and proposals made by the Europeans in Geneva were unrealistic,” the official told Reuters. “Insisting on these positions will not bring Iran and Europe closer to an agreement.”

Tehran to Formally Respond in Next Round

The Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the proposals would be reviewed in Tehran and a response would be issued in the next round of negotiations. While both sides indicated a willingness to continue discussions, no date has yet been set.

According to European diplomats, the talks sought to test Tehran’s openness to a parallel negotiation track—initially excluding the U.S.—that would expand inspections and possibly allow limited uranium enrichment. However, Iran firmly ruled out restrictions on its missile program and reiterated that “zero enrichment is a dead end.”

Macron-Pezeshkian Call Yields Diplomatic Push

Despite the stalemate in Geneva, French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian agreed by phone to speed up diplomatic engagement. Macron emphasized that it was Iran’s responsibility to “provide every assurance” of peaceful intentions.

Iran, for its part, maintained that diplomacy must occur “not under the shadow of war,” a reference to the ongoing Israeli air campaign and Washington’s implicit support.