The U.K., France, and Germany initiated the process for Iran snapback sanctions on Thursday, citing the country’s significant non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal by formally triggering the accord’s dispute mechanism.
E3 Triggers Iran Sanctions Mechanism
The three European nations, known as the E3, submitted a letter to the president of the United Nations Security Council to begin the action.
They officially triggered the JCPOA dispute resolution mechanism under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, share the fundamental objective that Iran shall never seek, acquire or develop a nuclear weapon,” the nations stated in the joint letter.
The US UK France Germany statement on Iran confirmed that sanctions “will be restored” if compliance is not met.
Concerns Over Iran Uranium Enrichment Levels
According to a U.K. official, the decision was not made “lightly” and followed months of intense diplomacy. The action was reportedly influenced by Iran’s operation of advanced centrifuges and its refusal to adhere to international inspection regulations.
In May, Iran was found to have roughly 20,000 pounds of enriched uranium, a stockpile 45 times higher than the JCPOA limit. This includes 900 pounds of near-weapons grade highly enriched uranium, which a U.K. official said makes Iran “the only non-nuclear weapons state producing highly enriched uranium.“
International Reactions to the Sanctions Push
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi called the E3’s move “unjustified and illegal.” In contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated he “welcome[d]” the action.
“Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it,” Rubio stated. He urged Iranian leaders to “walk the path of peace.“
How the Iran Snapback Sanctions Process Works
The JCPOA’s sanctions mechanism now provides Iran a 30-day period to comply with the deal’s terms. If it fails, sweeping U.N. sanctions will be automatically reimposed unless the Security Council unanimously votes to prevent it.
The mechanism was designed in 2015 to prevent Russia or China from unilaterally vetoing the reimposition of sanctions. To block the snapback, all five permanent members of the U.N.
Security Council must veto the measure.
IAEA Assesses Path to Compliance
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi noted there is “still time” for a diplomatic solution. However, he stated it would be “almost impossible” for Iran to fully comply with the JCPOA due to its technical advances.
When asked if Iran was taking immediate steps to meet E3 demands, Grossi responded, “point blank… no.“
Despite this, IAEA inspectors visited the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Wednesday after being re-granted access, and Grossi anticipates gaining access to other top nuclear sites soon.
