UN snapback weaker than US sanctions, Iran parliament research chief says

Several Iranian lawmakers on Saturday condemned the decision by Britain, France, and Germany to trigger the UN snapback mechanism, calling it illegal, political, and proof that Europe follows Washington’s lead.

Ahmad Naderi, a member of the parliament’s presidium, said, “The activation of the snapback shows the depth of the West’s legal double standards. Europe has become the political arm of Washington in engineering war and sanctions.”

Alireza Salimi, also on the presidium, said, “The countries that failed to meet their own commitments are now acting as claimants and judges. A thief and a murderer becoming the judge — that is laughable.”

Mohsen Zanganeh, a lawmaker from Torbat Heydariyeh, called snapback a mistake from the start but warned against exaggerating its consequences. “Scaring the public over it could be more damaging than the sanctions themselves,” he said.

Alireza Abbasi, MP for Karaj, said missteps by some political groups and officials led enemies to miscalculate. “After Israel’s and the US’s attack, they begged for a ceasefire. They are making another miscalculation now, and parliament will correct it,” he said.

Mostafa Nakhaei, MP for Nehbandan, questioned Iran’s diplomacy. “Instead of complaining about the illegality of the move, we should ask: what did our diplomacy do to prevent it? We have 30 days. If we do not change the game, the burden will again fall on the people.”

Ahmad Rastineh, MP for Shahr-e Kord, said, “Snapback was the final bullet into the coffin of the nuclear deal. Now it is time to fire the mechanism of national honor into the coffin of the devil.”

European diplomats believe Iran may be restricting full access for UN nuclear inspectors because it fears confirmation that Israeli bombing destroyed large parts of its nuclear program, The Guardian reported on Saturday.

According to the report, diplomats said such confirmation could lead to public anger from Iranians who endured decades of sanctions for a program that may no longer exist.

Tehran has said it is willing to negotiate the return of inspectors, but Western officials say it has not offered any detailed terms. Britain, France and Germany have already triggered the process to reimpose UN sanctions but say diplomacy is still on the table unless Iran grants full access to all nuclear sites, not just those spared in the Israeli strikes.

Iran's foreign ministry said European powers have no legal basis for their actions and warned of possible reprisals.

Diplomacy remains central to shaping global outcomes, even as Western powers move to reimpose UN sanctions through the snapback mechanism, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on Saturday.

“Each diplomatic move can influence the course of dialogue and global decisions,” Araghchi said in a commentary published by the Iran newspaper. He said the ministry is working to document what he called US and Israeli violations and is pursuing legal channels to respond.

The article came after Britain, France and Germany said they would begin the snapback process at the UN, which could restore sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal.

Araghchi said Iran continues talks with neighbors and major powers like China and Russia while promoting what he called “a practical strategy of regional cooperation.” He added that Iran’s diplomacy operates across political, economic, legal and media fields, not just formal negotiations.

“These efforts build an image of Iran not as a country under pressure, but one that is active, creative and influential,” he wrote.

The head of Iran’s parliamentary national security and foreign policy commission said the activation of the UN snapback mechanism by European powers would not affect the country’s strategic calculations.

“Snapback has no impact on the equation,” Ebrahim Azizi said on Saturday, according to Fars News Agency.

“Europe is hanging onto the United States and lacks the capacity to push its own agenda,” he said. “They are trying to spread fear in Iran through media pressure, but we should not pay attention to this noise.”

Azizi added that Western powers imposed wide-ranging sanctions during the nuclear deal and failed to lift them despite their commitments. “Snapback plays no real role in this situation,” he said.

He said the commission and parliament would meet next week to discuss the issue and make a decision based on national interests.

The hardliner Kayhan newspaper, funded by Iran's Supreme Leader, called on Tehran to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty after European powers moved to trigger the UN snapback mechanism.

“Europe shamelessly activated the snapback mechanism to hammer the final nail into the JCPOA’s coffin,” the paper wrote. “Iran’s response is just one sentence: withdrawal from the NPT.”

It added that such a move would be “a heavy slap that will upend not just US and European calculations, but the entire balance of power in the region.” Remaining in the treaty, it said, “means mocking national independence and insulting the Iranian people.”