Description: The E3 group of countries comprised of France, the UK and Germany met on the margins of the latest UN Security Council meeting and announced the reimposition of snapback sanctions on Iran if no agreement regarding their disputed nuclear problem is reached by the end of Aug. Recent developments regarding the multilateral post war relations between the US, Iran and Israel have positioned the three countries in a stalemate with multiple unresolved issues following the ending of US and Israel strikes on Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that his country remained invested in resolving the dispute through diplomatic means if the US could guarantee the cessation of future hostilities and provide easement of international sanctions. US Special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, on multiple occasions in recent statements, commented that, backchannel talks with Iran were active and a framework for rapprochement was configured with the specific time and place yet to be determined. Iran in the meantime warned that in case the snapback sanctions are reimposed, the country would reinstate uranium enrichment and its weaponization, further threatening of developing a nuclear weapon.
Impact: The threats from the E3 regarding the snapback sanctions demonstrate Europe’s realignment with the US regarding the situation with Iran’s nuclear program and forwards international pressure in an attempt to enforce negotiating conditions on Iran following the ending of the 12 – day war. Europe effectively functions as the continued arm of US foreign policy regarding Iran which could pose a risk towards instigating the war and the crisis in the Middle East once again. Iran has renounced any attempts by the US and its allies to be involved in pressured negotiations citing issues of trust and credibility, taking into consideration that the US and Israel used the previous rounds of negotiations to launch an attack on the country. The uranium enrichment threats signal previous intelligence suspicions that Iran could have stockpiled and transported a larger amount of its uranium to an undisclosed location to be used for the development of an atomic or nuclear weapon. Tensions are reigniting with Europe’s additional pressure while Iran’s continued resistance to engage diplomatically, could set the region towards a renewed security crisis and increase the potential for renewed military confrontations between the US, Israel and Iran.