Some definite echoes of 2002-3 here…
France, UK and Germany ready to reimpose sanctions on Iran
European countries believe Tehran’s nuclear programme continues to endanger world security despite US strikes
Caption: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claims the E3 has no legal basis to trigger snapback.
France, Germany and Britain have told the UN they are ready to reinstate sanctions on Iran if it does not return to negotiations with the international community over its nuclear programme.
The foreign ministers of the so-called E3 group wrote to the UN on Tuesday to raise the possibility of “snapback” sanctions unless Iran takes action, said the letter, which was shared on X by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
“We have made it clear that if Iran is not willing to reach a diplomatic solution before the end of August 2025, or does not seize the opportunity of an extension, E3 are prepared to trigger the snapback mechanism,” the ministers wrote.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Iran’s failure to produce credible assurances regarding the nature of its nuclear programme meant it was a threat to international peace and security.
He said: "We have offered Iran a limited extension to UN sanctions relief subject to clear conditions being met, including Iran resuming negotiations with the US and ensuring full cooperation with the IAEA in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“We have set out our position clearly to members of the UN Security Council, outlining our diplomatic efforts and further measures, should Iran reject our offer.
“Iran still has the choice to resume diplomacy, and we urge Iran to do so. The ball is now in Iran’s court.”
The E3 considers that Iran’s nuclear programme continues to pose a threat to world security despite US strikes in June that ended 12 days of an Iran-Israel air war. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can no longer conduct on-site inspections since Iran stopped co-operating with them after the conflict.
More on the link…
Iran was doublecrossed twice by the US, still the leader of the gang - unless that’s Israel - and also by the IAEA, yet is apparently “in breach of its international obligations” for not letting the IAEA back in, possibly to prepare for the next US strike. This is reminiscent of what happened to Iraq, when information obtained by weapons inspectors helped the 2003 US ground invasion.
The European powers claim that
“E3 ministers pointed at the fact that Europe, unlike the US, has never attacked Iran militarily.”
which is a bit ludicrous given the US and Israel recently attacked Iran, in an act of war (even more flagrant than sanctions), in which the same countries helped prepare the ground with Iraq-era propaganda.
Even Wikipedia says:
“On that day, 12 June 2025, the IAEA board of governors passed a resolution,[i] drafted by the US, UK, France and Germany, that declared that Iran was non-compliant with its nuclear obligations for the first time since September 2005.[71][72] IAEA director general Rafael Grossi stated in an interview that the IAEA did “not have any proof of a systematic effort to move into a nuclear weapon”.[137][138] One day later, Israel began strikes against Iran.”