WANA (Aug 29) – In response to the European move to trigger the snapback mechanism, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi wrote: “This step will severely undermine the ongoing talks between Iran and the IAEA and will compel Iran to take appropriate action.”

 

In an English-language post on the social platform X, Araghchi stated: “The three European countries, acting on behalf of Israel and the United States, have deliberately chosen to pursue pressure against the Iranian people. This reckless move—against which Iran has repeatedly warned—is immoral, unjustified, and illegal.”

 

He stressed that Europe, which has been sidelined by the United States in virtually all global affairs—including even in Ukraine, right at Europe’s borders—“should not deceive itself with the illusion that using the snapback mechanism as leverage in at least one domain (Iran’s nuclear program) will restore its role. Iran has made it clear that pursuing this path will only render the three European countries completely ineffective and outdated in their relations with Iran.”

 

Araghchi also criticized the justification offered by the European states: “Alarmingly, the three countries now attempt to present this reckless move as a so-called effort to ‘advance diplomacy.’”

 

Reflecting on his long experience in nuclear negotiations, he noted: “I have personally been engaged in talks with the United States for the past two decades. My country took part in five rounds of nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration. On the eve of the sixth round, Iran came under attack—first by Israel and then by the United States. For Europe now to accuse Iran of abandoning the table and rejecting dialogue is repulsive.”

 

He further added: “The actions of the three European countries, in practice, serve the aggressor and harm the victim. It was the United States, not Iran, that unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. It was Europe, not Iran, that failed to fulfill its commitments to mitigate the economic consequences of the U.S. withdrawal. And it was Europe, not Iran, that not only failed to meet its obligations on Transition Day (October 2023), but also imposed new illegal sanctions on Iran’s civil aviation and maritime sectors.”

 

Araghchi concluded: “As I have clearly stated, the decision by the three European states will have serious negative consequences for diplomacy. It will severely weaken the ongoing talks between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency and will inevitably force Iran to react appropriately. The path chosen by Europe, if unchecked, will have grave implications for the credibility of the UN Security Council. Resorting to the so-called snapback mechanism without due process or legal basis not only undermines confidence in the Council’s decisions but also jeopardizes international peace and security. The time has come for the Security Council—and the world—to step forward and declare: ‘Enough is enough.’”

A billboard with a picture of nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strikes and Iranian centrifuges is displayed on a street in Tehran, Iran August 29, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)