Iran Weighs Diplomacy After 'UN Snapback' - Should US Be Concerned Over Uranium Stockpile?

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Iran's government braced for potential conflict with the West on Sunday after the United Nations reinstated sanctions over its nuclear activities, while some within the country advocated for ongoing talks to alleviate the economic strain.

The newly reimposed sanctions, enacted early Sunday, include freezing Iranian assets abroad, halting arms transactions with Tehran , and penalising any progress in Iran's ballistic missile development, among other restrictions. These actions were triggered through a mechanism called "snapback," which was part of the 2015 nuclear agreement with global powers.

Also Read: UN slaps Iran with snapback sanctions: Will it hinder Tehran's nuclear ambitions?

Iran's Parliament briefly denounced the sanctions before going into a closed-door session likely to discuss the country's response, which could include abandoning the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and rushing for the bomb. People worry about a new round of fighting between Iran and Israel, as well as potentially the United States, as missile sites struck during the 12-day war in June now appear to be being rebuilt, as reported by the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, Iran's rial currency fell to a new record low of 1.1 million to $1, sending food prices even higher and making daily life that much more challenging.

“The government must negotiate. This is a world of business," said Mohsen Rahaei, a 49-year-old Tehran resident. "One must get along with everyone, with all countries. Until when we want to fight? We won't gain anything.”

Iran considers withdrawing from treaty

Iran made a final diplomatic attempt at the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week, but despite efforts from its officials, as well as support from China and Russia, they were unable to prevent the sanctions from being reimposed.

In an interview with the Young Journalists Club, linked to Iranian state TV, lawmaker Ismail Kowsari stated that Parliament would consider exiting the nuclear agreement.

Nonproliferation experts have expressed concerns that such a move could lead Iran down a similar path to North Korea, which withdrew from the treaty and later developed nuclear weapons.

Also Read: Iran urges 'Nuclear-Free Middle East' at UNGA months after US strikes on its nuclear sites

Kowsari however said it wouldn't mean Iran would go for the bomb. Such a move would need the approval of Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian diplomats have long pointed to Khamenei's preachings as a binding fatwa, or religious edict, that Iran won't build an atomic bomb, AP reported.

Iran's Parliament issues warning

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issued his own warning to those who would honour the U.N. sanctions as the chamber began meeting Sunday.

Also Read: India asks US to allow Iran oil in order to curb Russia trade

“We announce that if any country wants to take action against Iran based on these illegal resolutions, it will face serious reciprocal action from Iran, and the three European countries that are the initiators of this illegal action will also face our reaction,” Qalibaf said without elaborating, according to a report by the state-run IRNA news agency.

Parliament soon after entered a closed session, without any formal announcement on what, if anything, was decided.

Iran warns against any military attack

Earlier on Sunday, both Iran's regular military and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard issued statements declaring that their forces were prepared for any potential attack. There is growing public concern in Iran that Israel may retaliate with military action following the reimposition of sanctions.

Also Read: Khamenei hands power to military as Israel tensions escalate - Is son Mojtaba emerging as Iran's key power broker?

Meanwhile, Israel's Foreign Ministry expressed support for the sanctions, praising their reinstatement as a positive step.

“The goal is clear: prevent a nuclear-armed Iran,” the ministry said.“The world must use every tool to achieve this goal.”

France, Germany and the United Kingdom triggered“snapback” over Iran 30 days ago, citing Tehran's restrictions of monitoring its nuclear program and the deadlock over its negotiations with the U.S.

Iran further withdrew from the International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring after Israel's war in June, which also saw the U.S. strike nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic.

Iran's Uranium stockpile

Meanwhile, Iran still maintains a stockpile of uranium enriche up to 60% purity - a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90% - that is largely enough to make several atomic bombs, should Tehran choose to rush toward weaponisation.

Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though the West and IAEA say Tehran had an organised weapons program up until 2003.

Also Read: Where is Iran's 408 kg of enriched uranium and can Tehran still build a nuclear bomb while staying under Trump's radar?

The three European nations on Sunday said they“continuously made every effort to avoid triggering snapback.” But Iran“has not authorised IAEA inspectors to regain access to Iran's nuclear sites, nor has it produced and transmitted to the IAEA a report accounting for its stockpile of high-enriched uranium.”

The nations also noted Iran enriches uranium at a level that no other peaceful program does.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the three European nations for“an act of decisive global leadership” for imposing the sanctions on Iran and said“diplomacy is still an option.”

“For that to happen, Iran must accept direct talks,” Rubio said.

Tehran maintains 'snapback' shouldn't have happened

Tehran has argued that the three European countries involved in the nuclear deal have no right to trigger the snapback mechanism, partly because the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 under President Donald Trump .

Ahead of the sanctions being reinstated, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke to state television, attempting to minimize the potential impact the U.N. sanctions would have on Iran.

One must get along with everyone, with all countries. Until when we want to fight? We won't gain anything.

“It will have some damages, some losses for us," Araghchi said Saturday night. "However, they have presented it in their own media as something far greater and much bigger than it actually is, and they have tried to create a monster to frighten the Iranian people and then force our government and our foreign policy to give concessions and pay tribute in this regard.”

However, the Iranian public already say they feel the pinch of sanctions with the rial's fall and other economic pressures. One Tehran resident, who gave only his first name Najjari for fear of reprisal, warned against abandoning negotiations.

MENAFN29092025007365015876ID1110123410