Sanctions on Iran are expected to be reimposed by the end of September, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday, after talks with Tehran failed to yield progress.

Britain, France, and Germany, the E3, also referred to as the European Troika, triggered a 30-day process in late August to restore United Nations sanctions through the snapback mechanism. They had set conditions for Tehran to meet in September that would have allowed a delay in the process.

The E3 had offered to postpone snapback sanctions for up to six months to enable further negotiations, but only if Iran agreed to restore access for UN nuclear inspectors, account for its growing stockpile of enriched uranium, and engage directly in talks with the US.

The E3 bears significant responsibility for the current crisis, as it not only pushed forward the snapback sanctions mechanism but had earlier endorsed Israeli attacks on Tehran in June 2025.

At that time, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz even admitted that "Israel" was essentially “doing their dirty job.” This alignment with Israeli military action undermined the E3’s credibility as independent mediators and fueled Tehran’s accusations that Britain, France, and Germany are acting as extensions of US and Israeli policy rather than pursuing a balanced diplomatic path.

When asked during an interview with Israeli Channel 12 whether the snapback was inevitable, Macron responded, “Yes. I think so because the latest news from the Iranians is not serious.”

However, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated, while on a call with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, along with the foreign ministers of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, the lack of legal and moral ground the E3 nations have with imposing snapback sanctions.

Araghchi urged the international community to prevent an avoidable crisis by proving their seriousness about reaching a diplomatic solution. 

He further stated in the call that Tehran was ready to work toward a fair and balanced solution that protects the interests of all parties involved, highlighting that achieving this goal demands a more responsible and independent approach from the E3 countries.

Read more: Tehran pushes for balanced solution, urges E3 to resist external sway

Talks stalled, deadline approaches

On Wednesday, foreign ministers from the E3, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, and their Iranian counterpart held a phone call.

Diplomats on both sides admitted there had been no substantial progress, though they said the door to negotiations remained technically open before the deadline expires.

The 15-member UN Security Council is set to vote on Friday on a resolution that would permanently lift sanctions on Iran.

Diplomats say the resolution is unlikely to secure the nine votes required to pass, and even if it did, it would almost certainly be vetoed by the US, Britain, or France.

Read more: New IAEA deal forbids inspections without authorization: Iranian FM