E3 joint statement on Iran: activation of the snapback
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-28)

Joint statement by the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK on the activation of the snapback.

We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom (the E3), continue to share the fundamental objective that Iran shall never seek, acquire or develop a nuclear weapon. With this objective in mind, our countries agreed first the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) in 2013 and subsequently the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) in 2015, together with the United States, Russia and China. And it is due to Iran’s persistent and significant non-performance of its JCPoA commitments that we triggered the snapback mechanism on 28 August 2025.

We welcome the re-instatement since 20:00 EDT (00:00 GMT) on 27 September 2025 of Resolutions xx-xxxx-xxxx (2006), 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), 1835 (2008), and 1929 (2010) after completion of the snapback process as provided for in UN Security Council Resolution 2231. We urge Iran and all states to abide fully by these resolutions.

These resolutions are not new: they contain a set of sanctions and other restrictive measures that were previously imposed by the UN Security Council and relate to Iran’s proliferation activities. Those measures were lifted by the Council in the context of the JCPoA, at a time when Iran had committed to ensuring its nuclear programme was exclusively peaceful. Given that Iran repeatedly breached these commitments, the E3 had no choice but to trigger the snapback procedure, at the end of which those resolutions were brought back into force.

Since 2019, Iran has exceeded all limits on its nuclear programme that it had freely committed to under the JCPoA. According to the IAEA’s report of 4 September 2025, Iran holds a quantity of enriched uranium which is 48 times the JCPoA limit. Today, Iran’s stockpile is entirely outside of IAEA monitoring. This includes 10 ‘Significant Quantities’ of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) – 10 times the approximate amount of nuclear material for which the possibility of manufacturing a nuclear explosive device cannot be excluded. Iran has no credible civilian justification whatsoever for its HEU stockpile. No other country without a nuclear weapons programme enriches uranium to such levels and at this scale.

Despite these long-standing violations, the E3 have continuously made every effort to avoid triggering snapback, bring Iran back into compliance and reach a durable and comprehensive diplomatic resolution. We triggered the JCPoA’s dispute resolution mechanism in January 2020 as acknowledged by the JCPoA coordinator. In 2020 and 2021 we engaged in months of talks with the aim of fully restoring the JCPoA and returning the United States to the deal. Instead, Iran chose to reject two offers put on the table by the JCPoA coordinator in 2022 and to further expand its nuclear activities in clear breach of its JCPoA commitments.

In July 2025, we offered Iran a limited, one-time snapback extension provided that Iran agreed to resume direct and unconditional negotiations with the United States, return to compliance with its legally binding safeguards obligations, and address its high enriched uranium stockpile. These measures were fair and achievable. Iran did not engage seriously with this offer.

On 28 August, in view of Iran’s continued nuclear escalation, France, Germany and the United Kingdom initiated the “snapback” mechanism as a last resort, in accordance with paragraph 11 of Security Council Resolution 2231. This began a 30-day process designed to give Iran an opportunity to address concerns over its nuclear programme. Our snapback extension offer remained on the table during that period.

Regrettably, Iran did not take the necessary actions to address our concerns, nor to meet our asks on extension, despite extensive dialogue, including during United Nations High-Level Week. In particular, Iran has not authorised IAEA inspectors to regain access to Iran’s nuclear sites, nor has it produced and transmitted to the IAEA a report accounting for its stockpile of high-enriched uranium.

On 19 September, in accordance with UNSCR 2231, the Security Council voted on a resolution that would have maintained sanctions-lifting on Iran. The outcome of the vote was an unambiguous no. This decision sent a clear signal that all states must abide by their international commitments and obligations regarding nuclear non-proliferation.

France, Germany and the United Kingdom are now focusing, as a matter of urgency, on the swift reintroduction of restrictions reapplied by these resolutions, in accordance with our obligations as UN member states. We urge all UN member states to implement these sanctions.

Our countries will continue to pursue diplomatic routes and negotiations. The reimposition of UN sanctions is not the end of diplomacy. We urge Iran to refrain from any escalatory action and to return to compliance with its legally binding safeguards obligations. The E3 will continue to work with all parties towards a new diplomatic solution to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.

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