• The UK, France, and Germany threaten to reimpose sanctions on Iran if it does not resume nuclear talks by the end of August 2025.
• E3 nations are prepared to trigger a "snapback" mechanism to restore sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal.
• Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has suspended cooperation with the IAEA following military escalations.

The UK, France, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — have warned that they are ready to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran if it fails to resume negotiations regarding its nuclear program by the end of August 2025. This announcement comes in the form of a letter sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in which the foreign ministers of the E3 emphasize their commitment to using all diplomatic tools to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, according to trtglobal and dawn.

The letter outlines the process of a "snapback" mechanism, which would reinstate previously lifted sanctions if Iran does not adhere to its obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot asserted, "If Iran continues to violate its international obligations... France and its German and British partners will reimpose global embargoes," as reported by BBC and Al Jazeera.

Iran, on the other hand, insists that its nuclear program is purely for civilian applications and the government has halted cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Following heightened tensions from a military conflict with Israel, Iran has not engaged in discussions regarding its nuclear activities, which it claims are peaceful, according to Le Monde and Newsweek.

The E3's letter has underscored the urgency for Iran to resume discussions that were previously held in Istanbul amidst the backdrop of military escalations, which included strikes on Iranian nuclear assets. If Iran fails to cooperate with the IAEA, it risks facing sanctions that were lifted as part of the 2015 agreement, making the stakes increasingly high as the deadline approaches, according to Le Monde and trtglobal.

In response to the looming sanctions, Iranian officials have expressed a readiness to reconsider agreements, albeit with significant reservations. They maintain that any move to reactivate sanctions would prompt swift legislative responses within Iran that could potentially lead to the country exiting from international nuclear accords, signaling the complex diplomatic landscape surrounding this issue, according to Al Jazeera and BBC.