Iran rejects 'snapback mechanism' bid, to meet Russia, China in Tehran
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Iran condemned the European troika’s move to trigger the JCPOA snapback mechanism as illegal, announcing a trilateral meeting with Russia and China in Tehran to coordinate diplomatic responses on sanctions and the nuclear file.
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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei (Archive)
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has denounced the European troika’s attempt to activate the “snapback mechanism,” calling it illegal and politically motivated. Simultaneously, Tehran announced it will host a trilateral meeting with Russia and China to discuss the nuclear file and coordinated responses to mounting Western pressure.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Monday that the European troika’s snapback bid is “illegal,” emphasizing that Iran has fulfilled its commitments, unlike other parties. “Iran has upheld its commitments, whereas the other parties have not,” he asserted, describing Tehran’s position as “firm and principled.”
Baghaei criticized the E3 for not condemning US and Israeli aggression against Iranian nuclear sites, noting that they have instead chosen to justify the attacks.
He also confirmed that Iran is not currently engaged in negotiations with the US but remains open to diplomacy to protect national interests. “Iran is seriously pursuing its people's rights and will use all available diplomatic tools,” he said.
Iran, Russia, China to hold strategic meeting in Tehran
In response to the rising pressure, Baghaei announced that a trilateral meeting involving Iran, Russia, and China will be held in Tehran. The talks aim to coordinate diplomatic strategies concerning the nuclear file and possible activation of the snapback mechanism.
This meeting reflects deepening ties between Tehran and its allies amid mounting Western sanctions and stalled nuclear negotiations.
Baghaei confirmed that Ali Larijani, former Speaker of Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, visited Moscow as a special envoy of President Masoud Pezeshkian. He held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on bilateral and regional developments, including coordination over the nuclear issue.
Looking to expand regional cooperation, Baghaei announced that President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to visit Pakistan in the coming weeks. The visit is expected to focus on strengthening economic and diplomatic ties.
Baghaei also addressed the ongoing aggression on Gaza, stating that “human conscience has entered a stage of numbness and normalization of crime and genocide,” and that “the international community has failed the Gaza test.” He called on regional countries to act urgently and provide humanitarian relief.
Primer: What is the snapback mechanism?
The snapback mechanism is part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and codified under UN Security Council Resolution 2231. It allows any remaining JCPOA member, such as the UK, France, Germany, China, or Russia, to unilaterally notify the Security Council of Iran’s alleged non-compliance, thereby triggering the automatic reimposition of all pre-2015 UN sanctions within 30 days.
Notably, once triggered, the process cannot be vetoed, even by permanent Council members like Russia or China. This feature was designed to prevent diplomatic deadlock and ensure a rapid international response to violations. However, critics view it as a "nuclear option" that undermines dialogue and escalates tensions.
The United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, breaking the original agreement and reimposing its own broad sanctions. Since then, the US has continued to enforce aggressive measures on Iran’s energy, financial, military, and technological sectors. Iran, in turn, began to scale back its commitments in 2019.
As of July 2025, UN sanctions remain suspended, but the European troika (France, the UK, and Germany) have warned they will trigger the mechanism if Iran does not return to full compliance by the end of August. It is noteworthy that the E3 have not abided by their commitments toward Iran, as stated in the JCPOA, and Iran has made numerous requests for them to comply with the deal, leading to it scaling back its commitments when no steps were taken.
How are UN sanctions different from sanctions by individual countries?
UN sanctions are legally binding on all 193 UN member states. Every member is required to implement and enforce the measures, such as asset freezes, travel bans, arms embargoes, or trade restrictions, while national and regional sanctions are enforced only within the jurisdictions of the issuing states but are often broader in scope and more rapidly updated.
While UN nuclear-related sanctions on Iran are currently suspended, many countries continue to enforce their own national or regional restrictions. For example, the United States imposed comprehensive sanctions on oil exports, banking, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and military technology. European Union also imposed targeted sanctions on the Iranian drone and missile programs,over allegations of military support for Russia, and alleged human rights violations.
