Tehran dismisses European bid to trigger UN sanctions

Shafaq News – Tehran

On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that Europe has no right to activate the snapback mechanism.

The three European powers activated the snapback mechanism on August 28 under Resolution 2231, pressing Iran to resume negotiations, grant broader access for inspectors, and explain the gaps in its uranium stockpiles. Unless the Security Council decides otherwise, UN sanctions will automatically return within 30 days.

Read more: Iran’s Araghchi to E3: Reimposing sanctions isgrave miscalculation

In a post on X, Araghchi wrote that if the E3 invokes the mechanism, “use or lose it” does not work.

It is not just that the E3 has no legal, political, or moral entitlement to invoke "snapback", and that even if they did, "use or lose it" doesn't work.It's that the correct expression for the E3's dilemma is "use it *and* lose it". Or better yet, "use it and lose it *all*".

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) September 13, 2025

Earlier, he noted that negotiations with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Cairo were held under the mandate of the Supreme National Security Council’s nuclear committee, and that the outcome had been sent to the country’s leadership for review.

Separately, the Head of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, warned that if the snapback is triggered, one option for Iran would be to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).