UK, France and Germany plan to reimpose sanctions on Iran over nuclear weapon fears

The UK, France and Germany are planning to revive UN-backed sanctions on Iran over fears it is developing nuclear weapons.

The three European nations, known as the E3, are triggering the "snapback" mechanisms after efforts to restart diplomatic talks over Tehran's nuclear programme stalled.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but it has enriched uranium to levels exceeding that required for civil nuclear power.

This is a breach of a deal agreed with Western nations in 2015, when a series of sanctions were suspended.

However, the E3 now wants to reimpose those sanctions, which were made by a UN resolution.

The sanctions include freezing Iranian assets abroad, halting arms deals with Tehran and penalising any development of its ballistic missile programme to further squeeze Iran's flailing economy.

Before the sanctions are implemented, there will be a 30-day period when the UK, France and Germany hope talks can take place and Iran will agree to step back its nuclear ambitions.

The E3 wrote to US secretary of state Marco Rubio informing him of their intent, and on Thursday afternoon, notified the UN.

The UN Security Council will meet on Friday to discuss the move, it is understood.

Russia and China, two out of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, quickly drafted a resolution to extend the Iran nuclear deal for six months and urge all parties to immediately resume negotiations, Reuters reports.

Russia's deputy UN envoy said the E3's move has "no legal bearing".

US welcomes sanctions snapback

Mr Rubio welcomed the sanctions snapback and said the E3 have laid out a clear case of Iran's continuing "significant non-performance" of its nuclear commitments.

He confirmed the US will work with the E3 and members of the UN Security Council to complete the reimposition of the sanctions, and said the US remains available for direct engagement with Iran.

Iran rejects move

The reimposition has not been met well by the Iranians, with Irans' foreign ministry saying it "strongly rejects and firmly" condemns the move.

They called it a "provocative and unnecessary escalation" and said it will be met with "appropriate responses".

The Iranian statement said the E3 lacks any legal or moral standing to invoke the snapback mechanism to reimpose sanctions.

It accused the E3 of "seriously undermining" the current process and claimed it was the EU and the E3 who failed to fulfil their commitments to mitigate the economic consequences of the US' withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Donald Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA on Iran's nuclear agreement in 2018, three years after an agreement between Iran and the UN Security Council's five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, the US) plus Germany, and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted when the agreement was made in 2015.

Lammy: Ball is in Iran's court

British foreign secretary David Lammy said the UK and its European allies have "negotiated in good faith" with Iran since 2019, but are now "left with no choice" but to reintroduce sanctions.

He said: "Iran's nuclear programme remains a threat to global peace and security. Over the past six years, Iran has broken almost all limits in the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) and its stockpile of enriched uranium is 45 times over the JCPOA limit.

"Alongside our European allies, the UK has negotiated in good faith since 2019, when Iran began to disregard the nuclear deal. We supported a viable deal in 2022, which Iran rejected, and recently offered an extension to sanctions relief, subject to Iran meeting set conditions."

Mr Lammy said, despite repeated warnings, Iran has made "no substantive effort" to meet the conditions set and has consistently failed to provide "credible assurances" about the nature of its nuclear programmes.

"Whilst we have been left with no choice but to take this action, the ball remains in Iran's court and I would welcome their return to the table with a serious offer," he added.

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