Iran Warns of Tensions Amid Snapback Sanctions Threat

Iran's foreign minister has issued a stark warning to Britain, France, and Germany, suggesting that invoking the U.N. snapback mechanism to restore sanctions could spark irreversible tensions. This mechanism, tied to a 2015 nuclear agreement, allows for U.N. sanctions to be reimposed by the European trio before the October 18 deadline.

The warning comes amid ongoing negotiations involving Iran and the United States, spearheaded by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who publicly expressed concerns in a French weekly magazine. The former U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, withdrew from the pact in 2018, reinstating heavy sanctions on Iran and severely impacting its economy.

The European powers remain outside the direct negotiations, yet they maintain close coordination with Washington to decide on utilizing the snapback mechanism. The diplomatic landscape is complicated by Iran's ongoing nuclear activities, which have breached the 2015 agreement since 2019, exacerbating an already tense international scenario.

(With inputs from agencies.)