Iran urges Europeans to 'make the right choice' on sanctions snapback

No response from Tehran over E3 offer to extend negotiations by six months

European ministers have warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that time is running out to negotiate over a reinstatement of UN sanctions. AP Photo

Representatives of three European countries – Germany, the UK and France – met in Geneva on Tuesday with Iran in a last-ditch effort to avert reimposing UN sanctions on Iran's nuclear programme.

Talks have intensified in the past weeks as the deadline looms for the three European countries, collectively known as the E3, to trigger a mechanism that would reinstate six suspended UN Security Council resolutions.

Kazem Gharibabadi, an Iranian deputy foreign minister who attended the talks with Britain, France and Germany in Geneva, said in a post on X it was "high time" for the European trio "to make the right choice and give diplomacy time and space".

"It was decided that contacts between the two sides would continue in the coming days," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state TV after the talks ended.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned last week that “time is running out” after speaking to his counterparts on the phone, including Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Tuesday's meeting was confirmed by European sources to The National after Iran state media reported that officials would gather to discuss Iran's nuclear programme. On the table is UN resolution 2231, which endorsed a deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It is set to expire on October 18.

While they appear intent on triggering the “snapback” mechanism, the Europeans suggested during talks with Iran in Istanbul last month that resolution 2231 was extended by six months to allow more time for negotiations – a proposal that has so far received no response.

The Iranian flag flies, alongside other national flags, outside the International Atomic Energy Agency headquarters in Vienna. Reuters

The E3 want Iran to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to resume inspections. It must also cease violations of the deal, which include uranium stockpiles representing more than 40 times the limit.

In Geneva, Iran was represented by its deputy foreign ministers, and European countries by their foreign ministries' political directors. Similar meetings took place in July, February, and November 2024.

Triggering snapback must be done before the end of August in order to launch procedures that would meet an October deadline. The UN resolutions include arms embargoes, frozen assets and restrictions on Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes.

There is a perception that Iran is ignoring Europe's offer to extend talks because it believes that reinstating UN sanctions cannot be worse than the 12-day US and Israeli bombing campaign in June. Israel's surprise aerial attacks derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the US which had begun in April. Iran is already under a US embargo.

Iran has been closely co-ordinating with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spoke to his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian before the Geneva talks. Iran's sole civilian power plant in Bushehr is fuelled with Russian-imported uranium. Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin before the Geneva talks. AFP

Russia, set to assume the presidency of the UN Security Council in September, has circulated a very short draft, seen by The National, calling for the extension of resolution 2231 by six months till April 2026.

The document acknowledges "the importance of finding a negotiated diplomatic solution to the issues related to resolution 2231 (2015)" and recognises "the necessity of allowing additional time for negotiations on this matter".

The draft would not allow the E3 to trigger snapback for six months.

Iran has publicly rejected the idea of an extension of resolution 2231 and has threatened to withdraw from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty if snapback is triggered.