The European Union has announced it will start the process of reinstating UN sanctions on Iran by August 29 if the country fails to make sufficient progress in limiting its nuclear program. The move comes after France, the UK, and Germany told the United Nations they support triggering “snapback” sanctions on Iran.
The snapback mechanism was built into the original 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It acts as a guardrail to prevent Iran from committing significant non-performance. If Iran fails to meet its obligations, any signatory country can trigger automatic reimposition of UN sanctions.
Iran has said it remains open to restarting direct talks with the US, but stopped short of accepting terms to abandon its uranium enrichment program. The country’s economy has deteriorated since Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA in 2018. Iran has been enriching and stockpiling uranium at record levels, prompting warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The EU’s warning comes after a reported letter from France, the UK, and Germany to the UN Security Council urging them to support triggering snapback sanctions if Iran does not re-enter dialogue over its nuclear program. The US bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities in mid-June, leading to a 12-day conflict that raised regional tensions and energy prices.
If snapback sanctions are reinstated, they could have dire consequences for Iran, including the possibility of withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/13/european-powers-threaten-snapback-sanctions-on-iran.html