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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that European powers had responded with “excuses and evasive answers” to Tehran’s new proposal in ongoing nuclear negotiations.
In a post on X, Araghchi accused Britain, France and Germany—known as the E3—of undermining diplomacy after they triggered the so-called snapback mechanism that could restore United Nations sanctions on Iran.
https://x.com/araghchi/status/1968768640934887763
“The truth is that the side not working is the E3/EU diplomatic mechanism,” Araghchi wrote, urging the U.N. Security Council to intervene. He added that diplomacy must be preferred over confrontation.
Araghchi ended his message by saying, “There is a way forward, but Iran cannot be solely responsible.”
The E3 announced on Aug. 28 that it would invoke the snapback mechanism, claiming Iran had violated the 2015 nuclear deal. Tehran argues that the Europeans lost their legal standing after failing to uphold commitments once the United States withdrew from the accord in 2018.
Russia and China, also parties to the deal, told the Security Council in a joint letter that the European move was “legally invalid” and “illogical.”
Talks between Iran and European capitals have so far failed to produce progress. Unless a last-minute deal is reached or the deadline extended, U.N. sanctions on Iran will automatically return when the snapback process expires at midnight on Sept. 28.
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