WORLD IS RUNNING OUT OF WAYS TO TALK TO IRAN

Diplomacy recedes as renewed UN sanctions harden Tehran's defiance and push the nuclear crisis into new territory

- BY SHAIKHA OBAID ALNUAIMI | Special to Gulf News

Diplomacy has taken a step back as threats and warnings have escalated between Western and regional powers and Iran, particularly following the reimposition of UN sanctions.

With the nuclear negotiations reaching a deadlock, the three European parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement — the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — activated the “snapback” mechanism in response to Iran’s “continued nuclear escalation and lack of cooperation.”

Tehran suspended international inspections of its nuclear facilities after several of its nuclear sites and military bases were bombed by the United States and Israel in June 2025. Following the European troika’s decision to reimpose sanctions, Iran stood firm in its position, leaving no room for compromise or renewed negotiations. European nations, on the other hand, argued that Iran had failed to take the necessary measures to address their concerns, refusing to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and maintaining secrecy regarding its stockpile of highly enriched uranium (60 per cent).

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) places limits on uranium stockpiles and enrichment levels to prevent the programme from drifting towards nuclear weapons development.

Fallout of US withdrawal