Iran will face the return of UN sanctions unless it resumes cooperation with nuclear inspectors and returns to talks, the leaders of Britain, France and Germany agreed on Saturday during a phone conversation.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz "agreed that unless Iran co-operated with the IAEA and returned to diplomacy, sanctions would be reinstated at the end of August," according to the British government's readout of the joint call.
The three European powers have until October to trigger the so-called snapback mechanism under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which would restore all international sanctions on Iran lifted by the 2015 nuclear deal.
Once invoked, if the UN Security Council fails to unanimously agree within 30 days to continue waiving the sanctions, the previous UN measures will automatically be reinstated.
Negotiators from Iran and the three European powers held a fresh round of nuclear talks in Istanbul on Friday. In the meeting, Iran pushed back on an alleged proposal by Europe to extend the deadline for triggering the snapback mechanism.
Friday's talks marked the first round of nuclear negotiations following the US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Washington was not part of the talks, as Tehran has said it is not currently willing to engage in further talks with the Trump administration.
'No talks with US without guarantees'
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi said on Saturday Tehran had conveyed messages to the US via intermediaries and would not re-enter talks without firm guarantees against further attacks.
“Before a new round of talks, we must receive guarantees that we will not face similar attacks again,” Turkish outlet Haberturk quoted him as saying.
Citing Israeli and US strikes, he said more than a thousand people had been killed. “These acts must be condemned,” he said.
He confirmed discussions with the E3 are ongoing and centered on uranium enrichment and sanctions relief. “In any agreement, enrichment must be preserved. That is a key element of our position,” he said. “Sanctions must be lifted fully. This is an essential requirement.”
Takht Ravanchi rejected Western demands to limit enrichment, calling them incompatible with Iran’s rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“Zero enrichment is not acceptable. Our nuclear program is peaceful, conducted on our soil, and in line with the NPT,” he said.
No date has been set for the next E3 round, though Takht Ravanchi said Turkey remains Iran’s preferred venue.
