UK, France, Germany Initiate UN Snapback Sanctions On Iran Over Nuclear Program

France, Germany, and the UK have submitted a letter to members of the UN Security Council announcing they are triggering the “snapback” mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran, Axios and others are reporting Thursday.

These are past sanctions which had been suspended under the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, which the US unilaterally pulled out of in April 2018 under the first Trump administration.

Axios writes that “In the letter, the three European powers emphasized that during the next 30 days – before the sanctions take effect – they are open to negotiations with Iran on a nuclear agreement that could halt the process.”

Tuesday saw tense discussions between Iran and the E3 nations – France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. They warned at the meeting the E3 is preparing trigger the mechanism for reimposing international sanctions on Iran if it fails to either reach a new nuclear agreement by the end of August or agrees to extend UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which covers the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Axios’ Barak Ravid had earlier acknowledged that “It will take a diplomatic miracle to prevent this from happening.”

The Europeans are also pressing Iran to rejoin nuclear talks with Washington; however, the Iranians have made clear that the US can no longer be trusted – as it bombed the Islamic Republic in June at the very moment the sides were engaged in talks.

The Associated Press has explained how ‘snapback’ works in the following:

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action reached between world powers and Iran in 2015, Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment to levels necessary for civilian nuclear power in exchange for lifted economic sanctions. The International Atomic Energy Agency was tasked with monitoring Iran’s nuclear program.

The snapback mechanism’s purpose is to swiftly reimpose all pre-deal sanctions without being vetoed by U.N. Security Council members, including permanent members Russia and China.

The process began Thursday, when the E3 formally notified the U.N. secretary-general and Security Council president about Iran’s “significant nonperformance of commitments.”

Iran’s alleged uranium stockpiles are believed to be significantly beyond the limits set by the original deal, in both purity and quantity.

“In May, the IAEA said Iran had amassed 408.6 kilograms (900.8 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% purity. If it is enriched to 90%, it would be enough to make nine nuclear weapons, according to an IAEA yardstick, though a weapon would require other expertise, such as a detonation device,” the AP noted.

The joint Israel and US surprise assault of the 12-day June war might have actually done much to hasten Iran’s nuclear development and Tehran leaders now believe – not without good reason – that past and future negotiations with Washington are based on deception by the US side.