Key points
- Britain, France, Germany send letter to UN Security Council
- They hope sanctions will push Iran towards a nuclear deal
- Tehran warns of harsh response if sanctions reinstated
ISLAMABAD: Britain, France and Germany on Thursday launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme.
A senior Iranian official quickly accused the three European powers of harming diplomacy and vowed that Tehran would not bow to pressure over the move by the E3 to launch the so-called “snapback mechanism”.
#BREAKING Germany, france and UK has officially initiated snapback mechanism against Iran, by sending a letter to the UN Security Council.
The process will take 30 days before UN sanctions against Iran will officially go into effect. pic.twitter.com/vQKFBEzQjW
— War Intel (@warintel4u) August 28, 2025
According to Reuters, the step is likely to stoke tensions two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran.
“Direct engagement”
The United States welcomed the step, while emphasising it was ready for “direct engagement” with the Islamic republic with which Washington has had no diplomatic relations since shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
The foreign ministers of France, Britain and Germany said they “hereby invoke the process known as the ‘snapback’ mechanism,” which initiates a 30-day process for reimposing sanctions suspended a decade ago.
The three countries notified the UN Security Council that they “believe Iran to be in significant non-performance of its commitments” under the 2015 nuclear deal, according to AFP.
The move comes just over two months after the end of a 12-day war between Israel and Iran which Israel said was aimed at degrading Tehran’s nuclear as well as ballistic capabilities and also saw the US launch its first strikes on the Islamic republic.
Snapback mechanism
It also comes as the window for triggering the so-called snapback mechanism closes on October 18.
The UN Security Council, where France and Britain as well as the United States have permanent seats alongside China and Russia, is to meet on Friday to discuss Iran, diplomatic sources said.
Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, told journalists Thursday that the Europeans’ move “has absolutely no legal bearing.”
Western powers have for two decades feared that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon under the guise of an atomic energy programme, a charge vehemently denied by Tehran.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s office urged Iran and major powers Thursday to seize the moment and strike a deal.
“In the next 30 days, there is a window of opportunity to avoid any further escalation and find a way forward that serves peace,” Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
“Direct engagement”
Iran has previously warned that cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog would be affected if the mechanism was triggered.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will respond appropriately to this illegal and unjustified action by the three European countries, in order to protect and guarantee its national rights and interests,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his French, British and German counterparts in a phone call, his ministry said.
The Iranian foreign ministry said the “provocative and unnecessary escalation” will “seriously undermine the ongoing process of interaction and cooperation” between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Iran has already suspended its cooperation with the IAEA, accusing the UN agency of failing to condemn the Israeli and US attacks.
FM Abbas Araghchi says no text has been finalized yet for a new cooperation agreement between Tehran and the IAEA.
Follow: https://t.co/B3zXG73Jym pic.twitter.com/xOqUXZgFRn
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) August 28, 2025
IAEA inspectors have begun work at the key nuclear site of Bushehr in southwestern Iran, the first team to enter the country since Tehran formally suspended its cooperation last month.
Tehran stressed this did not represent a full resumption of cooperation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington “remains available for direct engagement with Iran” in a bid to reach a lasting resolution.
“Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it,” Rubio said in a statement.
Israel welcomed the move, with its UN ambassador Danny Danon calling it “an important step on the way to stopping the Iranian nuclear program.”
Sanctions against Russia
Meanwhile 26 EU member states, except Hungary, condemned on Friday the recent Russian strikes on Kyiv and vowed to speed up the work on the 19th sanctions package against Moscow.
“We extend our condolences, stand in solidarity with all Ukrainians and strongly condemn Russia’s ongoing assaults on civilians and civilian infrastructure, which are a deliberate escalation and undermine efforts toward peace,” said a statement issued by the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and supported by the 26 member states, except Hungary.
“Intentional attacks against civilians and non-military objectives are war crimes. All commanders, perpetrators and accomplices of these grave violations of international humanitarian law shall be held to account,” it added.
The statement also said that such attacks “only reinforce” the bloc’s determination and resolve to support Ukraine.
“The EU will continue and increase its comprehensive support to Ukraine on all strands, including by accelerating work on the 19th package of sanctions,” it further underscored.
