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Snapback “Tempest in a Teapot” heats up

With a week to go to the August 29 deadline set by the E3 (Britain, France, Germany) for when they will decide to try to activate the so-called “snapback” provision of UNSC/RES/2231 (2015) and JCPOA, the tempest is stirring the teapot. 
‘Hats off’ to Amira El-Fekki of Newsweek for her reporting on this. Here are some notable statements this week. 

Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister: "[E3] think the snapback is the only tool they have. Here we have clearly explained our position: first, you have basically no right to use it as you, too, have effectively withdrawn from the deal following the U.S. withdrawal, and with your recent positions, including the zero enrichment. So you're no longer a participant in the JCPOA, and the right to snapback belongs only to remaining members." 
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna: "The [E3] are themselves in violation of RES/2231 and the JCPOA. Therefore, legally speaking, they as violators don't have the right to launch Snapback." 
Lin Jian, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson: "China stays committed to peacefully resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means, opposes invoking Security Council 'snapback' sanctions." 

The E3 must know their position is shaky, with Trump, occupied with a dozen higher priority things, putting “obliterated” Iran on the back burner. What the E3 have come up with was reported by Yonah Jeremy Bob in The Jerusalem Post on Aug 19, 2025: ‘[Iran] can either give up uranium enrichment for some period of time …or jump at the E3’s interim concessions offer: to extend the expiration of the global sanctions snapback mechanism by around six months from October 2025 until April 2026.’ 
That got a clear response by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on August 19: "All three countries [Russia, China, Iran] believe that Resolution 2231 should be terminated at its designated time [October 18, 2025], and that [E3] legally have no right to trigger the snapback mechanism and are opposed to reinstating Security Council resolutions." 

For full background on the ‘snapback’ mechanism, look at my blogs: 
    June 07, 2025 Snapback sanctions: “tempest in a cup of tea” 
    June 10, 2025 Iran’s defense against an IAEA Board resolution and UNSC snapback
    July 17, 2025 Europeans threaten Iran with sanctions 
    July 19, 2025 E3 Grasping at Straws 
    July 25, 2025 E3 Snapback and Rafael Grossi in Singapore

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