E3 Nations Trigger Snapback Sanctions on Iran Over Nuclear Deal Violations

France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have activated a mechanism to restore sanctions on Iran after a series of talks failed to resolve disputes over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Known collectively as the E3, the three European powers had been warning Iran for weeks that UN sanctions could return by October, coinciding with the expiry of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. The decision, announced Thursday, will formally take effect in 30 days.

The E3 accuse Tehran of breaching the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), under which Iran agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal contains a “snapback” clause that allows sanctions to be reinstated quickly if violations are confirmed.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, the E3 foreign ministers wrote that since 2019, Iran has “deliberately ceased” meeting its commitments, pointing to its growing stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which they say has no civilian justification. Still, they stressed a preference for a diplomatic solution.

Iran has pushed back, with its Foreign Ministry spokesman arguing this week that the Europeans had no legal grounds to trigger the mechanism, though talks would continue. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also urged the E3 and the UN to “give diplomacy time and space.”

If reimposed, the sanctions would reinstate a broad range of restrictions that existed before the 2015 deal, including a conventional arms embargo, limits on ballistic missile development, and asset freezes.

Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from the UN in New York, noted that the move starts a process rather than implementing sanctions immediately, leaving room for last-minute negotiations.

The backdrop includes heightened tensions after Israel’s large-scale bombing of Iranian nuclear, military, and civilian sites in June, supported by the United States, which killed hundreds. Following the attacks, Tehran suspended diplomatic engagement but resumed limited talks with Europe in July.

Analysts warn the E3’s action may escalate rather than defuse tensions. Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, said the move risks trapping both sides in “a cycle of pressure and retaliation” rather than rebuilding trust, especially given Iran was still negotiating when the bombings occurred.