Iran warns E3 of dire consequences if re-installment of UN sanctions are triggered

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of “significant consequences” if Europe pushes for reimposing UN nuclear sanctions, stressing it would end E3 participation in the 2015 deal, following an unproductive meeting in Istanbul.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned Europe it will bear “significant consequences” if the UN nuclear sanctions are re-imposed against Tehran, after senior Iranian, French, German and UK diplomats met in Istanbul last Friday without a major breakthrough.

In an interview with the Saudi-based Arabic Language TV Asharq News, he strongly cautioned the European statesmen that a re-installment of the UN sanctions under the nuclear deal signed in Vienna in 2015 will terminate participation of the E3 parties -- France, Germany and the UK -- in the agreement.

He said that the E3’s potential move to call for re-imposing of sanctions risks serious consequences and potential irreversible escalation of tensions, referring to the likelihood of strong retaliatory steps that the Islamic Republic could take in response, Press TV quoted the Iranian minister saying.

"The situation we're in is by no means Iran's fault. It is the fault of the United States, which withdrew from the JCPoA (2015 nuclear agreement), and the fault of the European countries that failed to compensate for the US’s withdrawal," Araghchi said.

In comments published by the French weekly Le Point, Iran’s foreign minister warned the European troika of consequences of re-imposition of UN sanctions known as the “snapback” mechanism. The mechanism provided for in the 2015 nuclear agreement enables UN sanctions to be reinstated in the event of Tehran failing to meet its commitments.

The E3 which previously helped to bring in the US to its nuclear talks with Iran in 2000s, seems frustrated over being sidelined in the current Iran-US talks. Back in early 2000s, the European troika was the only party to Iran’s nuclear negotiations, but after its agreements with Iran could not be implemented because of opposition of the US, a new format of EU3+3 was devised and put to action.

By late 2000s, the US, China, and Russia -- three permanent members of the UN Security Council – had joined the Iran-E3 talks (also known as P5+1) ultimately leading to signing of the JCPoA deal and adoption of the UN Resolution 2231 same year lifting UN imposed sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program. 

Ironically, the E3 which previously helped to bring in the US to its talks with Iran, seems upset over being kept out of the Iran-US talks. These negotiations are taking place after US President Donald Trump wrote a letter in March to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

The same Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. However, a lesser trust by Trump 2.0 in the US-Europe transatlantic alliance may have increased concerns in Berlin, London and Paris about his administration’s role in the current Iran-US nuclear discussions.

Following the Iran-E3 discussions in Istanbul which also included a meeting with the EU Deputy Foreign Policy Chief Olof Skoog, an Iranian negotiator said both sides want to move on the track of diplomacy.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran and E3 agreed to meet again if it was necessary.

Whereas both Iran the US have termed their ongoing talks as positive, there was not a statement from the European side about the meeting in Istanbul and future of their talks on the 2015 nuclear agreement.

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