TEHERAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has told European leaders that Iran is ready to address concerns about the nature of its nuclear program "within the framework of international law and its rights".

He made the remarks on Wednesday in separate meetings with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to statements published on the website of his office on Thursday.

Pezeshkian stressed that Iran regards nuclear weapons as forbidden under a religious decree by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and is willing to allow international verification within the framework of international law and its rights. "We welcome diplomatic talks to resolve the issue," he said.

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He warned that if the "snapback" mechanism leads to the reimposition of UN sanctions, dialogue would become "meaningless". Pezeshkian blamed Western violations of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Israeli-US attacks on Iranian facilities for the current situation, but said diplomacy is still the only path to rebuild trust.

European leaders called for renewed dialogue, with Stubb urging "real multilateralism" and Costa underscoring that disputes should be resolved through understanding. Norway's prime minister said all parties must seek solutions to avoid sanctions and restore confidence.

France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, triggered the JCPOA's snapback mechanism last month, with UN sanctions expected to return later this month after the Security Council failed to extend sanctions relief on Sept 19. The JCPOA, signed in 2015 between Iran and six world powers, has faced growing strain since the US withdrawal in 2018, prompting Iran to gradually scale back compliance.