Europe powers move to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over nuclear drive

 

France, Britain, and Germany on Thursday triggered a mechanism to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with commitments over its nuclear programme.

The three countries notified the UN Security Council that they “believe Iran to be in significant non-performance of its commitments” under a 2015 nuclear deal, according to a letter seen by AFP.Their foreign ministers said they “hereby invoke the process known as the ‘snapback’ mechanism,” which initiates a 30-day process for reimposing sanctions suspended a decade ago.

The move by the European trio — known as the E3 — took place just days after Iranian and European diplomats held talks in Geneva, the second since Israel’s attack on Iran that started a 12-day war in June.

It also comes as the window for triggering the so-called snapback mechanism closes on 18 October.

Western powers have for two decades feared that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon under the guise of an atomic energy programme, a charge vehemently denied by Tehran.

In a joint statement, British Foreign Minister David Lammy, Germany’s top diplomat Johann Wadephul and French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot said that Iran’s non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal was “clear and deliberate”.

They said Iran has “no civilian justification” for its high enriched uranium stockpile. “Its nuclear programme therefore remains a clear threat to international peace and security,” they added.

Barrot wrote on X that “Iran’s nuclear escalation must not go any further” but emphasised the move “does not signal the end of diplomacy”.

He noted there is now a 30-day period where talks can take place, adding “we are determined … to engage in dialogue with Iran”.

‘Iran will respond appropriately’

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will respond appropriately to this illegal and unjustified action by the three European countries, in order to protect and guarantee its national rights and interests,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his French, British, and German counterparts in a phone call, according to a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry.

He called on the three countries to “appropriately correct this wrong decision in the coming days”.

While Araghchi did not specify what retaliatory measures Iran might take, Tehran has previously warned that such a move could lead to the exclusion of the European powers from any future negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran said the decision would undermine Tehran’s cooperation with the United Nations nuclear watchdog.

“This decision by the three European countries will seriously undermine the ongoing process of interaction and cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” the foreign ministry said in a statement, calling the move a “provocative and unnecessary escalation”.

US welcome ‘snapback’ of sanctions

The 2015 nuclear treaty was aimed at resolving the stand-off over the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme, but it was badly weakened when US President Donald Trump left the accord during his first mandate, and as accusations of Iranian non-compliance escalated.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Washington sought direct talks with Iran on ending its nuclear program after European powers moved to restore sanctions on Tehran.

Rubio welcomed the Europeans’ “snapback” of sanctions, long pushed by President Donald Trump, but said: “At the same time, the United States remains available for direct engagement with Iran — in furtherance of a peaceful, enduring resolution to the Iran nuclear issue.”

“Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it,” Rubio said in a statement.

“I urge Iranian leaders to take the immediate steps necessary to ensure that their nation will never obtain a nuclear weapon; to walk the path of peace; and to, by extension, advance prosperity for the Iranian people.”

Tehran and Washington had begun nuclear talks in April with the aim of reaching another deal but these negotiations were derailed by the war with Israel, during which the United States also struck Iranian nuclear sites.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Iran behind closed doors Friday to discuss European powers’ move to reimpose sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program, diplomatic sources said.