Iran Threatens Britain, France, and Germany With ‘Unstoppable Consequences’ if Sanctions Return

Over the past year, the relationship between Iran and several European countries—especially Britain, France, and Germany—has gotten much worse. Now, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, is warning those three nations that if they decide to bring back sanctions against Iran, it could lead to serious and permanent damage to diplomatic ties.

In an article published in the French magazine Le Point, Araqchi said that using the “snapback mechanism” would not only push Europe out of the 2015 nuclear agreement but also increase tensions in a way that may be impossible to fix. The snapback mechanism is a part of a United Nations deal tied to the 2015 nuclear agreement.

It gives countries like Britain, France, and Germany the right to bring back UN sanctions on Iran if they believe Iran is breaking the deal. According to some diplomats, this option would need to be used before October 18.

Right now, those European countries aren’t directly part of the current talks between Iran and the United States, but they’ve been working closely with the US behind the scenes. The fourth round of US-Iran talks just ended in Oman.

These countries are all worried about Iran’s nuclear program and are thinking of putting more pressure on Tehran if no agreement is reached soon.

Former US President Donald Trump, who pulled the US out of the 2015 deal during his first term, commented on the situation. He said that while he wants Iran to be successful and happy as a country, it cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. That, he said, is non-negotiable.

Since 2019, Iran has been slowly breaking the rules of the nuclear deal. Reports from the UN nuclear agency say Iran has sharply increased its uranium enrichment to 60 percent purity, which is very close to the 90 percent needed to build a nuclear bomb. Iran continues to claim that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes.

Even though there have been a few diplomatic meetings, the overall relationship between Iran and the European powers continues to decline. The situation has been made worse by Iran’s missile activities, its arrest of foreign nationals, and its ongoing support for Russia in the war against Ukraine.

Sources say that if a solid agreement isn’t reached by August, the European countries might go ahead and trigger the snapback mechanism, bringing back harsh UN sanctions on Iran. Still, Araqchi described a recent meeting between Iranian and European officials as a “hopeful, but delicate beginning,” suggesting that while talks have started, trust is still very shaky.