Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have warned that they are prepared to hit Iran with “snapback” sanctions if Iranian officials fail to return to nuclear negotiations by the end of August.
Some shit you should know before you read: Shortly after the United States and Israel finished a coordinated wave of strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure during the recent 12-day war, Iranian leaders vowed to continue advancing their nuclear program, framing the attacks as proof that diplomacy could not work. Following this, Iran accused the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of being “weaponized” against them, alleging that intelligence shared with Western powers by the agency directly enabled the strikes. This led to Iran suspending all cooperation with the IAEA, raising concerns among Western countries who have demanded Iran resume cooperation. In recent public comments, President Donald Trump has called Iran’s vows to restart their nuclear program “crazy” and warned that the United States “will be back” if Iran attempts to push its uranium enrichment closer to weapons-grade levels.
What’s going on now: First reported by the Financial Times and picked up by several international outlets, the warning from the E3 came in a joint letter from the foreign ministers (Jean-Noël Barrot of France, David Lammy of the United Kingdom, and Johann Wadephul of Germany) addressed to the UN Security Council. In the letter, the ministers outlined a clear ultimatum: if Iran does not commit to a diplomatic solution or fails to seize the opportunity for a deadline extension, the E3 will trigger the “snapback” mechanism, a clause in the 2015 nuclear deal that allows for the automatic reinstatement of UN sanctions. They emphasized that while they remain open to a limited extension, the offer remains unanswered by Iran.
The letter follows a round of talks between the E3 and Iranian diplomats in Istanbul last month, which were not fruitful. Their push to reestablish dialogue comes ahead of the October expiration of key provisions in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), increasing the urgency for renewed negotiations. The ministers argue that Iran has been in “significant non-performance” of its obligations since 2019 and, therefore, that reimposing sanctions is legally justified.
Iran, however, has rejected the E3’s framing, insisting that its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes and denying any intention to build a nuclear weapon. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also pushed back against the snapback threat, calling it baseless and accusing the European powers of failing to meet their own commitments under the JCPOA.
