Iran: Europe cannot extend the deadline for sanctions

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that European powers do not have the right to extend the October deadline for activating the automatic sanctions reinstatement mechanism, stipulated by the 2015 agreement on Tehran's nuclear program.

These statements were made after a meeting between Iranian diplomats and envoys from Germany, France, and Britain. The European trio accuses Tehran of not fulfilling its commitments and is trying to restart negotiations on its nuclear program, amid fears that Iran is pursuing a nuclear program for military purposes.

Araghchi stated that his country cannot completely end its cooperation with the IAEA after Tehran suspended IAEA inspections. He added that the return of IAEA inspectors to Iranian nuclear facilities depends on a decision by Iran's highest security institution.

In a letter to the UN, Germany, France, and Britain stated that they are ready to launch the sanctions reinstatement mechanism, the so-called snapback, against Iran if no solution is found for the Iranian nuclear program by the end of August.