E3 joint statement on Iran: Initiation of the snapback process
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-28)

Joint statement by the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the UK on the initiation of the snapback process

We, the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, share the fundamental objective that Iran shall never seek, acquire or develop a nuclear weapon. We negotiated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) with the conviction that it would decisively contribute to ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. The United Nations Security Council unanimously endorsed the JCPoA in resolution 2231 of 20th July 2015. It was a major achievement for non-proliferation, as such strengthening international peace and security.

Following the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPoA on 8th May 2018, and in spite of Iran ceasing the implementation of its commitments under the JCPoA beginning in May 2019, France, Germany and the United Kingdom (the “E3”) remained committed participants to the deal.

Since 2019, Iran has exceeded JCPoA limits on enriched uranium, heavy water, and centrifuges, restricted the IAEA’s ability to conduct JCPoA verification and monitoring activities, and has abandoned the implementation and the ratification process of the Additional Protocol to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement. These actions contravene Iran’s commitments set out in the JCPoA and have serious implications on the capacity of Iran to progress toward developing a nuclear weapon.

This was more than five years ago. Since then, we have made all possible efforts to resolve the impasse. We consistently undertook intensive diplomatic efforts to deescalate tensions and to bring Iran and the United States to the negotiating table for a comprehensive negotiated solution. We acted in good faith to preserve the JCPoA, in the sincere hope of finding a way to resolve the impasse through constructive diplomatic dialogue, while preserving the agreement and remaining within its framework.

This included the use of the JCPoA’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism, initiated on 14 January 2020 and confirmed by the JCPoA Coordinator, pursuant to paragraph 36 of the JCPoA. The E3 also engaged in good faith in negotiations conducted from 6th April 2021 until 28th February 2022 to re-establish Iran’s full compliance with the JCPoA and allow for a return of the United States to the deal. The JCPoA Coordinator tabled viable proposals in March and again in August 2022. Iran refused both packages while continuing to raise unacceptable demands beyond the scope of the JCPoA. Despite this, we have continued to engage Iran as part of our efforts to find a peaceful resolution of this issue through diplomacy, as set out in our letter to the United Nations Secretary General of 8th August 2025.

In July 2025, the E3 have put on the table an offer for the extension of resolution 2231 and its snapback mechanism. The requirements set by the E3 in exchange for this extension – including the resumption of negotiations, Iran’s compliance with its IAEA obligations, and steps to address our concerns regarding the high enriched uranium stockpile - have not yet been satisfactorily met by Iran. The combination of such Iranian steps and a time-limited extension would have provided a credible path towards reaching a political agreement to replace the JCPoA and address our longstanding concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear programme.

Today, Iran’s non-compliance with the JCPoA is clear and deliberate, and sites of major proliferation concern in Iran are outside of IAEA monitoring. Iran has no civilian justification for its high enriched uranium stockpile - now over 9 Significant Quantities - which is also unaccounted for by the IAEA. Its nuclear programme therefore remains a clear threat to international peace and security.

As a result of Iran’s actions, and in accordance with paragraph 11 of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), France, Germany and the United Kingdom have today decided to notify the Security Council that we believe Iran is in significant non-performance of its commitments under the JCPoA, thereby engaging the “snapback” mechanism.

This notification initiates the snapback process defined in Resolution 2231. It opens a 30-day period before the possible reestablishment of previously terminated United Nations Security Council resolutions. We underline that these resolutions and the measures they contain – sanctions and other restrictive measures – are not new. On the contrary, these resolutions were previously agreed by the Security Council and lifted in light of Iran’s commitments under the JCPoA. However, Iran has chosen not to abide by those commitments. In accordance with Resolution 2231, we will continue to strive to diplomatically resolve the issue of Iran’s significant non-performance. We will use the 30-day period to continue to engage with Iran on our extension offer, or on any serious diplomatic efforts to restore Iran’s compliance with its commitments.

We recall that if the UNSC does not adopt within 30 days a resolution to continue the lifting of UNSC resolutions on Iran, six Security Council resolutions, including on sanctions, will be restored.

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