Three European powers met with an Iranian minister to try to reopen negotiations over the limits of its nuclear activities.

Iran said it would continue nuclear talks with European powers after "serious, frank, and detailed" conversations on Friday, the first such face-to-face meeting since Israel and the U.S. bombed Iran last month.

The U.S. wants Iran to end all uranium enrichment. The European nations have yet to make clear their position. The JCPOA limited Iran to enriching uranium up to 3.67% purity -- sufficient for civilian nuclear power purposes but below the 90% purity needed for use in a weapon.

European and Iranian diplomats have arrived in Istanbul in a renewed effort to resolve the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program. The talks mark the first formal engagement since June's 12-day war between Iran and Israel, a conflict that included U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and heightened tensions across the region.

Iranian diplomats said they held "frank and detailed" nuclear talks on Friday with counterparts from Germany, Britain and France, who have threatened to trigger sanctions if Tehran fails to agree a deal on uranium enrichment and cooperation with UN inspectors.

Iran and European powers agree they need to hold another round of nuclear talks soon following discussions in Istanbul on Friday, said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi.

Iran says it is ready to engage in talks with the United States, but only if Washington takes meaningful steps to rebuild trust.

The Iranian government continues to insist that enrichment is a "matter of national pride," and any nuclear capabilities would be used for scientific purposes rather than weapons. Iran’s state media has continued to say that the country will pursue uranium enrichment as it is "a key policy of the current government,

Iranian and European officials will hold nuclear talks in Istanbul on Friday as tensions simmer over Tehran’s nuclear program after it was targeted by a US military strike last month.