Deadline Looms: Europe to Snap Back Sanctions on Iran
UN sanctions on Iran: The UK, France, and Germany will reimpose UN sanctions by August unless Iran shows progress on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. The decision follows recent Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which Tehran claims have severely hampered its operations.
The announcement came during a closed-door meeting at Germany’s U.N. mission in New York, where diplomats from the three European nations met to coordinate next steps.
Snapback Mechanism Triggered by Lack of Progress
Under the original Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a “snapback” provision allows for the swift reimposition of UN sanctions if Iran violates the deal. The U.S. withdrew from the JCPOA during Donald Trump’s first term, but the European parties remained engaged—until now.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot made the threat explicit:
“Without a firm, tangible, and verifiable commitment from Iran, we will do so by the end of August at the latest.”
🇮🇷 Iran Seeks Guarantees After Strikes
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Iran is open to resuming talks with the U.S.—but only if Washington guarantees no future attacks on its nuclear facilities. The U.S. and Israel bombed multiple sites in June, damaging Iran’s infrastructure and leading Tehran to suspend cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency).
President Masoud Pezeshkian said last week that many of Iran’s facilities remain inaccessible due to destruction from airstrikes.
U.S. Involvement and Future Talks
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with his UK, French, and German counterparts on Monday, reiterating that the goal remains to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. While no talks have been scheduled, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff indicated negotiations may resume soon.
Despite setbacks, Araghchi stated:
“The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.”
What’s at stake?
Iran is already dealing with inflation, civil unrest, and isolation from the rest of the world; reimposing sanctions will further burden its economy. But there’s also a chance that it may push Tehran further away from negotiations and toward hardliners who favor nuclear weapons.
Source: AP News
