• France, UK, and Germany plan to reinstate sanctions on Iran by the end of August if no progress is made on the nuclear deal.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the issue with the European foreign ministers, emphasizing the need to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
• Iran demands guarantees against future attacks from the U.S. and Israel before resuming nuclear talks.

The United Kingdom, France, and Germany are prepared to reinstate tough U.N. sanctions on Iran by the end of August if no significant progress is made on nuclear deal negotiations. This announcement comes amid rising concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that these countries would be justified in reapplying sanctions if Iran does not demonstrate a verifiable commitment to its nuclear obligations by the deadline, signaling a move to utilize the snapback provision of the 2015 agreement to reinstate lifted sanctions, according to Al Jazeera, India Times, and HuffPost.

In a coordinated effort, the ambassadors from these nations convened at Germany’s U.N. Mission to strategize their next steps. Following their discussions, a phone conversation occurred between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers from the UK, France, and Germany, highlighting a united front in ensuring Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. According to statements made after the meeting, the four leaders agreed that without tangible progress by the end of August, sanctions would need to be reinstated, as per the snapback provision established in 2015, according to Al Jazeera and India Times.

Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has signaled Tehran's willingness to resume nuclear talks, contingent upon assurances that there will be no further attacks on its nuclear facilities. He emphasized that the recent Israeli and U.S. strikes have complicated the scenario, urging for firm guarantees that such actions will not recur. Araghchi has stated that these conditions are essential for rekindling negotiations, reflecting Iran's stance that its nuclear program remains peaceful in nature, as reported by India Times, HuffPost, and Al Jazeera.

In light of these discussions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the damage inflicted upon Iran's nuclear sites by U.S. airstrikes, indicating that this has left key facilities inaccessible for proper assessments by Iranian authorities. Iran's mission to the U.N. has refrained from commenting on the renewed threat of sanctions but maintains that the door to diplomacy is still open as they seek to negotiate a resolution to the ongoing tensions, according to HuffPost and India Times.