Tianjin: Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Iran, alongside Russia and China, has denounced the E3 countries’ recent action to initiate the ‘snapback mechanism’ against Iran, calling it void and lacking legal basis. The announcement came after a joint letter was signed by the foreign ministers of the three nations, asserting their unified stance against the move by Britain, France, and Germany.
According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the joint letter was signed at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, China. Araghchi, along with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, Wang Yi and Sergey Lavrov, emphasized that the European attempt to invoke ‘snapback’ is politically harmful. The move by the E3 aims to restore UN sanctions on Iran, which were previously lifted under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The E3 cited Iran’s non-compliance as the reason for their action.
The United States had exited the JCPOA in 2018 under President Donald Trump’s administration, prompting Iran to take reciprocal measures after the European parties failed to mitigate the impact of the US withdrawal. Araghchi highlighted that the E3’s actions ignore the sequence of events, starting with the US violation of the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, followed by Europe’s alignment with unlawful sanctions.
Araghchi further emphasized the importance of adhering to international law, stating that rights and obligations are inseparable and countries that do not honor their commitments cannot claim benefits from an agreement they have undermined. He stressed that the credibility of multilateral diplomacy relies on this principle, and any deviation threatens the foundation of collective security.
The Iranian minister criticized the E3’s proposal as a betrayal of the Security Council’s mission to maintain global peace and security, arguing that it turns the Council into a tool of coercion. He called for a restoration of international law to support successful diplomacy and maintain global stability.