Europeans launch UN sanctions process against Iran

Britain, France and Germany on Thursday launched a step likely to stoke tensions two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran.

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A senior Iranian official quickly accused the three European powers of harming diplomacy and vowed that Tehran would not bow to pressure over the move by the E3 to launch the so-called “snapback mechanism”.

The three powers feared they would otherwise lose the prerogative in mid-October to restore sanctions on Tehran that were lifted under a 2015 nuclear accord with world powers.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the decision did not signal the end of diplomacy. His German counterpart Johann Wadephul urged Iran to now fully cooperate with the UN. nuclear watchdog agency and commit to direct talks with the United States over the next month.