Iran slams E3 sanctions move, alleges obedience to US orders

Iran has harshly criticised the decision by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — to trigger the reimposition of United Nations sanctions against the Islamic Republic, accusing the European powers of acting under US pressure rather than on legal grounds.

In a post on social media platform X, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei denounced the E3’s move as a demonstration of “what passes for a ‘credible’ negotiating partner in the so-called ‘rules-based international order.’” He added, “This is a system where might makes right and where the ‘violator’ dictates the rules of the game," Caliber.Az reports. 

The E3 are demonstrating what passes for a “credible” negotiating partner in the so-called “rules-based international order,” where might makes right and where the “violator” dictates the rules of the game.

Their decision to trigger the re-imposition of terminated Security… pic.twitter.com/NnLdk0cjSC

— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) August 29, 2025

Baqaei claimed that the decision was not based on “legal necessity or sound judgment,” but rather stemmed from political obedience to Washington.

He referenced a recent press statement by US Senator Marco Rubio on August 28, which he said revealed the underlying motivation behind the E3’s action — namely, alignment with the United States’ National Security Presidential Memorandum-2 (NSPM-2), issued on February 2, 2025.

“The E3’s move signifies their obedience to the NSPM-2 of the United States — a country that is no longer a participant in the JCPOA, the tremendous spoiler and violator of the deal,” Baqaei wrote. He emphasised that it was Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in 2018 that set off a chain of “vicious events” leading to the current situation.

On August 28, the E3 announced their decision to reactivate UN sanctions on Iran, citing serious concerns over recent Iranian nuclear advancements. At the heart of their decision is the "snapback mechanism" — a clause within the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that allows for the automatic restoration of UN Security Council sanctions if a party is found to be in significant non-compliance with the deal.

By Sabina Mammadli