Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi threatened that the Islamic Republic would leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if UN sanctions are "snapped back" in response to Iran's continued refusal to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Gharibabadi claimed yesterday (Tuesday) that Iran's withdrawal from the NPT is "on the table," Iranian state media reported.
“But, I’m quite confident that if the snapback is triggered, Iran will not show more restraint in this regard," he added in reference to the Iranian government's decision to remain in the treaty until now.
The saber-rattling comes ahead of a meeting with officials from the E3 - Britain, France, and Germany - on Friday. All three nations have stated that they will support the snapback sanctions if no progress is made in nuclear talks with Iran by the end of August.
"We will express our position regarding the E3's comments on the snapback mechanism, which we think lacks any legal ground," Gharibabadi said. "Nonetheless, our effort will be to see if we can find common solutions to manage the situation."
Earlier this week, a German source emphasized the urgency of Friday's talks, stating: “Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon,” and that the E3 is working to find “a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution.”
The United States launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure on June 22, targeting key facilities in Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. These came shortly after Israel’s 12-day military campaign, which began on June 13. The strikes effectively ended indirect US-Iran negotiations previously conducted via Omani mediators.
The Guardian reported recently that the European Union is poised to begin the process of reinstating UN sanctions on Iran, with an August 29 deadline set for Tehran to show progress on its nuclear program.
The E3, alongside China and Russia, are the remaining signatories to the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, which saw the lifting of sanctions in exchange for limitations on its nuclear activities.
The UN Security Council resolution underpinning this agreement is set to expire on October 18, with provisions allowing for the re-imposition of UN sanctions prior to this date, a process that would take approximately 30 days.
European officials have consistently cautioned that without a new nuclear agreement, they intend to activate the "snapback mechanism." This mechanism would re-impose all prior UN sanctions on Iran should it be found in violation of the existing agreement's terms.
The German source warned again on Sunday that if no progress is made during the summer, reactivating sanctions remains on the table.