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Tehran has been preparing for years to counter potential reimposition of U.N. sanctions under the existing nuclear deal’s “snapback” mechanism, according to Iran’s foreign minister. Tensions over stalled nuclear talks threaten to renew conflict between Iran and the West.
The European Union’s foreign affairs spokesperson was contacted by Newsweek but did not respond.
### Why It Matters
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (the E3 nations) have threatened to invoke a sanctions clause under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) if no progress is made on a new deal with Iran before October. In response, Iran has coordinated with China and Russia to withstand growing Western pressure on its nuclear program, as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that Tehran’s enrichment levels pose a threat.
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### What To Know
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, stated that they have designed joint measures to implement if the snapback is activated. The three capitals have been working for years to counter the snapback mechanism. Under the JCPOA, Iran was capped at 3.67 percent uranium enrichment, sufficient for civilian energy use but far below bomb-making levels. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the deal in 2018.
The snapback mechanism remains the only U.N.-backed mechanism to penalize Iran for serious non-compliance. This would include an arms embargo, missile and drone restrictions, bans on most nuclear activity, and travel, banking, and asset freezes on designated Iranian entities and individuals.
Araghchi dismissed these sanctions as ineffective, stating that economic sanctions of the Security Council are far more limited than current unilateral U.S. sanctions. He argued that things will not become worse than the current situation, with only psychological and political consequences, but no risk of diplomacy ending or paralyzing the country.
### What People Are Saying
Abbas Araghchi explained: “They think snapback is their only tool. We have clearly stated first, you effectively withdrew from the deal following U.S. withdrawal, and your recent positions, including zero enrichment, mean you are no longer a participant in JCPOA. Hence, the right to snapback belongs only to remaining members.”
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, stated: “The European states themselves violate Res. 2231 and the #JCPOA. Therefore, legally speaking, they don’t have the right to launch SnapBack.”
Lin Jian from China’s Foreign Ministry said: “China remains committed to resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through peaceful political and diplomatic means and opposes invoking Security Council ‘snapback’ sanctions.”
### What Happens Next
With the JCPOA’s sunset clauses expiring in October, Tehran is hardening its position on nuclear enrichment by steering future IAEA cooperation under the authority of its Supreme National Security Council.
