In a direct statement this Friday, Iran vocalized its disapproval of European powers’ decision to reinstate international sanctions by the end of September. This action is contingent on Tehran meeting specific conditions, notably providing access to UN nuclear inspectors.
“The Europeans’ actions are fundamentally politically biased and driven by political motives,” declared Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh from Geneva. He further emphasized their misjudgment in attempting to leverage the mechanisms embedded within the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Thursday that European nations are poised to reimpose international sanctions on Iran by the conclusion of the month. This development follows a round of talks with Tehran aimed at preventing these sanctions, which were ultimately deemed insufficient.
The E3 countries — Britain, France, and Germany — initiated a 30-day process in late August to trigger the re-imposition of UN sanctions. They had outlined clear prerequisites for Tehran to fulfill during September in an effort to postpone the “snapback mechanism.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated later on Thursday that he had put forth a “reasonable and actionable plan” during these discussions.
However, the E3’s proposition to delay the snapback for up to six months, thereby enabling more substantial negotiations, depends entirely on Iran restoring full access to UN nuclear inspectors. These inspectors are also tasked with verifying Iran’s significant inventory of enriched uranium, and Iran must agree to engage in direct talks with the United States.
Deputy Foreign Minister Khatibzadeh explicitly stated that if diplomacy fails, “all options are on the table.”
He issued a grave warning: “If Europeans persist on this course, they will elevate the level of unpredictability to its utmost, and they will be held accountable for any and all potential future risks.”
Concurrently, the UN Security Council is scheduled to vote this Friday on a resolution aimed at permanently lifting UN sanctions on Iran. Diplomatic sources anticipate that this resolution is unlikely to garner the minimum nine votes required for adoption. Even in the event of its passage, it would almost certainly face a veto from the United States, Britain, or France.