European Countries Trigger UN Sanctions Mechanism Over Iranian Nuclear Issue

Facing a deadlock in negotiations over the Iranian nuclear issue, France, the UK, and Germany took action on Thursday, August 28, by starting the process at the UN to reinstate international sanctions against Tehran within 30 days. Iranian authorities have promised to react to this decision. The move comes after the failure to reach an agreement on salvaging the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The ‘snapback’ mechanism, if successful, would reimpose all sanctions lifted under the JCPOA. The European trio’s move follows Iran’s gradual steps away from its commitments under the nuclear deal since 2019. In response, the European countries released a joint statement stressing the importance of upholding the non-proliferation regime and highlighting the need for diplomacy to address the Iranian nuclear issue.