Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says a decision by the European troika to unleash the snapback mechanism of sanctions on Iran will turn the E3 into a permanently spent force.

Araghchi issued the warning in a post on his X account on Friday a day after the three European states – Britain, France and Germany -- invoked the anti-Tehran snapback procedure, a clause enshrined in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The clause reinstates pre-JCPOA era sanctions on Iran over claims of the Islamic Republic’s “significant non-compliance” with the landmark pact.

The snapback mechanism, defined in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, opens 30 days before the restoration of previously terminated UN Security Council sanctions against Iran.

“Iran has cautioned that having been left out by the US on all global issues—even Ukraine on their own doorstep—Europe should not deceive itself about ‘snapback’ being leverage for it to play a role in at least one arena,” Araghchi said.

He cautioned the European trio that pursuing such a path would turn them into a permanently spent force.

The Iranian minister censured the E3 for acting on behalf of the Israeli regime and the United States and maliciously pursuing pressure on the Iranian people, describing it as an “immoral, unjustified, and unlawful” folly.

It is disturbing that the European troika is now framing its reckless gambit as an endeavor to"advance diplomacy", the top Iranian diplomat said.

Araghchi pointed to Iran’s five rounds of nuclear negotiations with the administration of US President Donald Trump this year and said on the eve of a sixth round of talks, Iran was first bombed by Israel and then by the United States.

“It is repugnant for Europe to now accuse Iran of having left the table and spurning dialogue,” he added.

“The reality is that we are at a point where the West cannot even guarantee that it will cease further unlawful military strikes on my people while negotiations are held.”

He said the E3’s actions effectively reward the offender and punish the victim.

Araghchi once again affirmed his country’s full compliance with the JCPOA while the US unilaterally withdrew in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Tehran and the Europeans failed to fulfill their commitments to mitigate the economic impact of the US exit.

“It was also Europe, not Iran, that not only failed to implement their commitments on Transition Day (October 2023), but also imposed new illegal sanctions on Iranian civil aviation and shipping,” he said.

The top Iranian diplomat once again warned that the E3's decision to trigger the so-called snapback mechanism will have “significant adverse impacts on diplomacy” and will “severely” undermine the ongoing dialogue between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The European troika’s move “will also compel an appropriate response” from Iran, he said.

If not curbed, he added, the path chosen by the E3 will additionally have “severe consequences” for the credibility of the United Nations Security Council.

“Invoking the so-called snapback mechanism without due process or a legal basis not only undermines confidence in the Council’s decisions, but also endangers international peace and security,” Araghchi warned.

He urged the Security Council and the entire world to step up and say to Europe,"Enough!"

In a letter dated August 28, 2025, addressed to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General António Guterres, the Iranian foreign minister urged all Security Council members “to reject the unjustified political manipulations and to uphold the integrity of international law and authority of the Council.”

Russia and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and signatories to the JCPOA, have also upbraided the E3’s move to invoke the snapback mechanism of sanctions on Iran, warning against the repercussions of imposing curbs on the Islamic Republic’s peaceful nuclear program.

"We strongly urge them to reconsider and review their erroneous decisions before they lead to irreparable consequences and further tragedy," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said a mechanism triggered by European countries that could re-impose United Nations sanctions on Iran was"not constructive.”