United Kingdom, France, Germany triggers Iranian sanctions on nuclear violations

The power trio of Europe, the United Kingdom, France and Germany (E3), initiated the process on Thursday to re-impose radical sanctions against Iran on its “significant non-compliance” with international nuclear agreements.

At 9 a.m., they submitted a letter to the President of the United Nations Security Council, the Panama Ambassador, Eloy Alfaro de Alba, informing him of their intention to trigger the Snapback sanctions mechanism devoted within the framework of the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Complete Complete Action Plan (JCPOA).

The action comes after months of warning from European leaders and years of calls in the United States which date back to the first Trump administration in 2018, reporting that Tehran was in violation of the nuclear agreements concluded within the framework of the 2015 Complete Complete Action Plan (JCPOA)-although the Iran’s assessment of non-compliance by Iran did not launch before 2019 by discovery by the international nuclear watchdogs.

French President Emmanuel Macron (L), German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arise as they come together on the sidelines of the Summit of Heads of State and the NATO NATO government in Hague on June 24, 2025. (Ludovic Marin / Pool / AFP via Getty Images)

Iran says that there are “many scientists” to restart the enrichment of uranium, despite us, Israeli strikes

According to an official of the United Kingdom on Thursday, the decision to enforce the Snapback sanctions, which should have serious consequences for the already signaling economy of Iran, was not a decision which was taken “lightly”.

The official confirmed that there had been a “very intense diplomacy” in the last “12 months, 6 months, 6 weeks” which finally led to this decision – including three major factors such as the levels of uranium in Tehran, its functioning of advanced centrifuges and its refusal of the grip of international inspection regulations – all dictated under the JCPOA.

The manager confirmed that in May, Iran had around 20,000 lb of enriched uranium, including 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium (HEU) (HEU) – which is 45 times higher than the JCPOA limit of less than 660 pounds of enriched uranium.

“Iran is the only state of non -nuclear weapons that produces highly enriched uranium,” said the manager, adding that these stocks remain unable to.

Thursday’s actions mean that at the end of the 30 -day period, the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council (CSNU), who include Russia and China, could legally reimed sanctions against Iran.

The Chinese Foreign Minister WAG YI is held with the Russian Foreign Deputy Minister, Sergey Ryabkov, on the left, and the Iranian Foreign Vice Minister, Kazeem Gharibabadi, before a meeting concerning the Iranian nuclear question at the guest house of the state of Diaoyutai on March 14, 2025 in Pekin, China. (Getty Images)

But by addressing journalists in Washington, DC on Wednesday, the leader of the UN nuclear guard dog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said that it was “still time” for Iran to prevent sanctions from setting up.

“Iran will have to comply,” said AIEA director general, Raffael Grossi. “I think there is a possibility. I am not naively optimistic, but at the same time, there is no reason why we should not (have) a good result.”

Iran doubles on the refusal to end the nuclear program, ready for war with Israel

The E3 and the United States have clearly indicated that there are specific steps that Tehran must make in order to avoid snapback sanctions, in particular by giving the IAEA full access to all Iranian nuclear sites, direct negotiations with Washington and representing around 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium (HEU).

But Grossi also noted that it would be “almost impossible” for Iran to comply with the JCPOA due to too much technical advances.

Questions about the EUU location, which are enough to make 10 nuclear warheads, mounted after the United States has taken direct strikes from the Iranian nuclear program in June. The reports suggest that in the days preceding the strikes, Iran may have moved and hidden part of its uranium on the basis of satellite images which showed convoys leaving the nuclear sites of Ford and Isfahan.

But Wednesday, grown at the concerns and said that the AIEA had no evidence that uranium had been moved to a secret place.

Although the HEU stock is still not officially taken into account because the IAEA has not obtained access to the main Iranian nuclear sites – although Grosi said it provided that access to come shortly as a inspectors visited the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Wednesday after being recommended in Iran.

Journalists asked if Iran took immediate measures to start responding to E3 requests and avoiding sanctions, Grosi said: “Point Blank … No.”

“Our job has not started. We are not where I would like to be-I will not hide this,” he said. “But at the same time, I am a diplomat, I always work in peace.”

A card shows damage to the Ford-Fordow nuclear site in Iran after being struck by the United States in Operation Midnight Hammer on June 22, 2025. (Fox News)

Iran is looking for China, Russia helps block UN sanctions before nuclear talks with Europeans

Iran has threatened to retaliate if the sanctions are implemented, although the way it will do it remains uncertain.

Tehran, in recent years, has strengthened links with powerful allies such as Russia and China, who have rejected calls to snapback sanctions.

But even if Russia and China are seated in the United Nations Security Council with veto powers, they cannot unilaterally prevent sanctions from passing.

In an unprecedented decision in 2015, the sanctions mechanism was written in a manner which reversed the procedure of the standard council, which would traditionally require the five permanent members to approve any action, which means that a single veto could block action.

The members of the United Nations Security Council attend a meeting on threats against international peace and security at the United Nations headquarters in New York on June 13, 2025. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)

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In the case of snapback sanctions against Iran, each permanent member, which includes the United States, France, the United Kingdom, China and Russia, must oppose its veto to repimony.

This means that, despite the opposition of Russia and China, they cannot block sanctions, as they have done more and more with regard to other actions of the Security Council in recent years – leading to what some have supported is a paralyzed state in the highest body of the UN.