France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have issued a joint letter to the United Nations, warning Iran that they are prepared to reinstate sanctions if Tehran fails to meet its nuclear commitments. The letter, sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council, emphasizes the three European powers’ commitment to ensuring Iran does not develop nuclear weapons.
“We have made it clear that if Iran is not willing to reach a diplomatic solution before the end of August 2025, or does not seize the opportunity of an extension, E3 are prepared to trigger the snapback mechanism,” the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK wrote. This snapback mechanism, part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), allows for the automatic reimposition of UN sanctions if Iran is found to be in significant breach of its commitments.
The E3 group claims Iran has breached its terms under the JCPOA, including building a uranium stockpile more than 40 times the limit set in 2015. However, no evidence has been found that Iran has enriched uranium to weapons-grade levels of 90 percent after allowing inspections of its nuclear facilities by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons, stating its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. The country’s suspension of cooperation with the IAEA followed Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June, which targeted senior military leaders, top scientists, and nuclear facilities. The US also carried out its own bombing raid on Iranian nuclear sites during the conflict.
Despite the tensions, Iran has agreed to hold talks with the IAEA and is preparing to host a visit by the UN watchdog. This visit will not include inspections of Iranian nuclear sites. The IAEA has not yet made a statement about the meeting.
The European powers’ warning comes as tensions between Iran and the international community continue to rise. The 2015 nuclear deal, from which the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018, required Iran to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. The E3 countries pledged to uphold the agreement but now claim Iran has breached its terms.