Araghchi says Iran will respond to E3’s ‘illegal’ move to reinstate UNSC sanctions

Araghchi made the remarks on Thursday during a phone conversation with the foreign ministers of three European countries – France, Britain, and Germany – and the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affair.

During the call, they informed Araghchi of their intention to formally notify the UN Security Council about triggering the dispute resolution mechanism, known as the snapback mechanism, under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

They also expressed their readiness to pursue a diplomatic solution within the next 30 days to resolve the issues and prevent the reimposition of UN sanctions.

Araghchi described the move by the three European countries as unjustified, illegal, and lacking any legal foundation. He further emphasized Iran’s firm commitment to defending its legitimate rights under international law and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

He further expressed hope that the three European countries would adopt a responsible approach, acknowledge the current realities, and take steps to correct their misguided course of action in the coming days.

On Tuesday, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei, said that the Ministry is pursuing extensive diplomatic efforts to block the activation of the so-called snapback mechanism by the European parties to the 2015 nuclear deal.

Responding to a question by IRNA’s correspondent on public concerns over recent remarks by senior officials, Baghaei said that the European parties “have neither the legal nor moral authority” to resort to such a measure, adding that Iran rejects the move and remains alert to its potential fallout.