Britain, France and Germany, together referred to as the E3, on Aug. 28 launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program. According to a Reuters report, the three powers feared they would otherwise lose the prerogative in mid-October to restore sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal known as the JCPOA. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot claimed the decision did not signal the end of diplomacy. His German counterpart Johann Wadephul urged Iran to now fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and commit to direct talks with the United States over the next month.
The E3, Reuters says, acted on Thursday, Aug. 28, over accusations that Iran has violated the 2015 deal that aimed to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapons capability in return for lifting international sanctions. The E3 claim ignores the reality that Iran’s ramp-up of its enrichment capabilities came in direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the JCPOA and imposition of “maximum pressure” sanctions in 2018.
The E3 said they hoped Iran would engage by the end of September to provide commitments over its nuclear program sufficient for them to defer concrete action. “The E3 are committed to using every diplomatic tool available to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. That includes our decision to trigger the snapback mechanism today through this notification,” they said in a letter sent to the UN Security Council that was seen by Reuters. “The E3’s commitment to a diplomatic solution nonetheless remains steadfast. The E3 will fully make use of the 30-day period following the notification in order to resolve the issue giving rise to the notification.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, not surprisingly, endorsed the E3 action. “The United States appreciates the leadership of our E3 allies in this effort” to provide Iran with a diplomatic off-ramp from its strategy of nuclear escalation, Rubio said in a statement. “Over the coming weeks, we will work with them and other Members of the UN Security Council to successfully complete the snapback of international sanctions and restrictions on Iran, as the President instructed in National Security Presidential Memorandum 2.” At the same time, Rubio claimed, “the United States remains available for direct engagement with Iran—in furtherance of a peaceful, enduring resolution to the Iran nuclear issue.”
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a phone call with the E3 and the EU’s Kaja Kallas, that Iran has acted responsibly and in good faith, adding that Tehran will defend its national rights and interests by responding appropriately to the European Troika’s “unlawful and unjustified” decision to reinstate UN Security Council sanctions, reported IRNA. Araghchi described the move by the three European countries as unjustified, illegal, and lacking any legal foundation. He further emphasized Iran’s firm commitment to defending its legitimate rights under international law and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
