Iran Firmly Rejects EU's Snapback Mechanism

(MENAFN) Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared on Friday that Europe lacks both moral and legal grounds to invoke the "snapback" mechanism, which would trigger the automatic reinstatement of UN sanctions on Iran.

Araghchi voiced these remarks after participating in a teleconference on Thursday night with foreign ministers from France, Germany, and Britain — collectively known as the E3 — as well as European Union Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas. He stressed that it was the United States, not Iran, that abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal and broke off negotiations in June, opting instead for military action.

Araghchi stated that it was the U.S., not Iran, that abandoned the EU-brokered nuclear deal. He added that future nuclear discussions can only proceed when the other party is prepared for a fair, balanced, and mutually advantageous agreement.

He further urged the EU and E3 to move beyond outdated tactics of threats and pressure, including the ‘snapback,’ for which they have absolutely no moral or legal foundation.

The "snapback" clause, embedded within the 2015 nuclear agreement — known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — allows other signatories to reinstate all international sanctions on Iran if it is found to be in breach of the deal.

Signed in 2015, the JCPOA was a landmark accord between Iran and six world powers — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States. The agreement required Iran to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for a relief from economic sanctions.

However, in 2018, the United States unilaterally exited the agreement and reintroduced sanctions, prompting Iran to gradually scale back its compliance with the deal’s terms.

This year, efforts to revive the nuclear agreement have been ongoing through indirect talks between Iran and the U.S. Yet, the negotiations stalled in mid-June, coinciding with a dramatic escalation in tensions, when Israel launched extensive airstrikes on several Iranian targets. The strikes led to a 12-day conflict, with the U.S. later joining in and bombing three Iranian nuclear sites.

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