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.

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.

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.

It is another symbol of deepening strategic cooperation between Russia and Iran, a point of concern for U.S.-led Western allies.

A Russian rocket has sent an Iranian communications satellite into orbit, highlighting strong ties between the two countries

A Russian Soyuz rocket launched the Ionosfera-M 3 and 4 satellites, along with an Iranian spacecraft and 17 cubesats, toward orbit early Friday morning (July 25).