Iran warns EU3 against snapback move, citing lack of legal authority

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has firmly rejected any attempt by the European troika—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (EU3)—to trigger the snapback mechanism under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), asserting that the bloc lacks both the authority and legal grounds to do so.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing on July 28, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei emphasized that the recent talks held in Istanbul between Iranian officials and EU3 representatives focused on Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions, Caliber.Az reports per Iranian media.

He clarified that Iran had conveyed its clear opposition to any invocation of the snapback provisions, which are intended to restore UN sanctions in the event of JCPOA non-compliance.

The EU3 has no right to trigger the snapback mechanism either, Baqhaei stated, adding that Iran is opposed to such plan in principle and has notified the EU3 of its stances.

It is not unnatural for the European sides to have offered their own interpretations, but those are not necessarily Iran’s views, Baghaei added.

He then reminded the EU3 that it cannot resort to the snapback mechanism of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as a leverage, saying such plan will not work.

The spokesman warned the UK, France and Germany that abusing the snapback mechanism will draw Iran’s proportional response and complicate matters further.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has already warned the European troika that triggering the snapback mechanism will end the EU3’s role in the talks on Iran’s nuclear program and do irreparable damages to diplomatic relations.

By Vafa Guliyeva