Iran Warns Europe Re-implementation Of Sanctions Could Cause Consequences

JAKARTA - Iranian Foreign Ministers warned Britain, France and Germany (E3) on Monday that the decision to trigger a UN mechanism that reimposes sanctions against Tehran could lead to an escalation of irreversible tensions.

Under the provisions of the UN resolution that ratifies the 2015 nuclear pact, the three European countries could reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran before October 18, known in diplomatic circles as a "mistakeback mechanism".

"Iran has made his position clear. We have officially warned all JCPOA (nuclear pact) signatories that abuse of the snapshot mechanism will have consequences not only the end of Europe's role in the agreement, but also an escalation of tensions that can become irreversible," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote in a column in French weekly magazine Le Point.

The European superpowers were not part of the latest negotiations between Iran and the United States, whose fourth round ended in Oman on Sunday.

However, the three superpowers have sought to coordinate closely with Washington with the aim of knowing if and when they should use a snapshot mechanism to increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.

President Donald Trump in his first term brought the US out of Tehran's 2015 nuclear agreement with six world superpowers in 2018, reimposing tough sanctions that have devastated Iran's economy.

President Trump said on Monday, Iran "talks smartly."

"We want Iran to be rich and extraordinary and happy and great, but they can't own nuclear weapons, it's very simple. So I think they understand that I'm serious and I think they've been very reasonable so far," he told reporters.

Earlier, talks between the so-called E3 and Iran in Rome, Italia in early May were postponed. Foreign Minister Araqchi said a meeting between Iran's deputy foreign ministers and E3 partners had taken place, describing it as "a promising but fragile start."

The French Foreign Ministry declined to comment. Meanwhile, the British and German Foreign Ministries were not immediately willing to comment.

According to diplomats and a document seen by Reuters, E3 countries could trigger a snapshot in August, if no substantial agreement could be found at the time. The window closed on October 18.

It is known that relations between E3 and Iran had deteriorated over the past year despite sporadic meetings, with the background of new sanctions imposed on Tehran over its ballistic missile program, foreign national detention, and support for Russia in its war against Ukraine.