FM strongly warns against misusing snapback mechanism

TABNAK, May. 12- Araqchi reacted harshly to threats from Britain, France, and Germany to invoke the JCPOA “snapback” mechanism and reinstate U.N. sanctions against Iran.

News ID: 6402

Date: 12 May 2025 - 13:04

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has issued a fresh warning to the European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal against misusing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)’s snapback mechanism.

“Iran has repeatedly made its position clear. We have officially cautioned all JCPOA signatories that any abuse of the snapback mechanism would lead to consequences—not only ending Europe’s role in the deal, but potentially escalating tensions to a point of no return,” Araqchi wrote on X late Sunday.

He urged Britain, France, and Germany—collectively known as the European Troika or E3—to reflect on how the situation reached its current impasse.

Araqchi said that he had expressed readiness to travel to London, Paris, and Berlin in order to open a new chapter in relation and his initiative led to preliminary talks at the level of deputy foreign ministers resulting in “a fragile but promising beginning.”

The top diplomat called on Europe to respond more profoundly at this critical moment to shape the future bilateral relations with Iran, adding that the Islamic Republic and its European partners need to turn the page toward deeper diplomatic engagement, according to IRNA.

Araqchi’s statement followed an op-ed he wrote for the French Weekly Le Point on Sunday, where he referred to repeated threats from the three European countries to invoke the snapback mechanism and reinstate U.N. sanctions against Iran.

He warned that such brinkmanship “risks triggering a global non-proliferation crisis” that could primarily impact Europe itself.