Tehran warns EU3 against snapback move
Shafaq News – Tehran
On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any European move to trigger the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 nuclear agreement would permanently damage diplomatic relations and eliminate Europe's role in future negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.
In a meeting with foreign ambassadors in Tehran, Araghchi dismissed what he described as a “misguided belief” by the European troika—France, Germany, and the UK—that activating the snapback clause of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) would strengthen their position in talks.
“If the Europeans proceed with snapback, it will end their place at the negotiating table,” he said, calling such a decision “the darkest point in the history of Iran-EU3 relations” and warning of “irreparable consequences.”
The snapback provision, embedded in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, allows parties to the JCPOA to unilaterally reinstate UN sanctions if they deem Iran to be in noncompliance. While initially conceived as a deterrent, Tehran views the clause as politically weaponized and undermining the spirit of diplomacy.
Araghchi urged a return to diplomacy, stating, “There is no path forward except negotiations,” while reiterating that Iran’s uranium enrichment program remains non-negotiable. “Enrichment is our red line. We paid for it with war and blood. No deal will strip Iran of this right.”
The Iranian diplomat emphasized that any future talks must focus solely on the nuclear file in exchange for lifting sanctions, rejecting attempts to broaden the agenda. He also reaffirmed Iran’s continued commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the IAEA Safeguards Agreement but criticized what he described as the IAEA's “politicized” role in recent months.
“Iran’s cooperation with the Agency hasn’t stopped,” Araghchi explained. “It is now managed through the Supreme National Security Council, in line with new parliamentary legislation.”
