Germany tells nationals to leave Iran, fearing retaliation over sanctions

Germany has told its nationals to leave Iran and refrain from travelling there to avoid getting caught in retaliatory acts by Tehran over Germany's role in triggering United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.

The move comes after Britain, France and Germany on Thursday launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear programme, a step likely to stoke tensions two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran.

A senior Iranian official quickly accused the three European powers of harming diplomacy and vowed that Tehran would not bow to pressure over the move by the E3 to launch the so-called 'snapback mechanism'.

"As Iranian government representatives have repeatedly threatened with consequences in this case, it cannot be ruled out that German interests and nationals will be affected by countermeasures in Iran," Germany's foreign ministry said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday.

"Currently, the German Embassy in Tehran can only provide limited consular assistance on site," it warned.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday, the decision to launch the 'snapback mechanism' did not signal the end of diplomacy. His German counterpart Johann Wadephul urged Iran to now fully cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency and commit to direct talks with the United States over the next month.

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter to the European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas that any E3 efforts to revive UN Security Council resolutions that were terminated under resolution 2231 are invalid and ineffective.

However, he added that Iran is ready to resume diplomatic negotiations provided that other parties demonstrate seriousness and goodwill.

Tehran has always denied producing nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Russia says it condemns the move by E-3 to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran.

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