Iran has warned it will retaliate if European nations trigger the UN snapback mechanism to reimpose sanctions over its nuclear programme, accusing them of violating the 2015 nuclear deal themselves.

Iran has issued a stern warning that it will retaliate if European powers move to invoke the United Nations' "snapback mechanism" to reinstate international sanctions over its nuclear programme. The warning, issued on Monday by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, follows reports that European countries may consider the mechanism if no new nuclear agreement is reached that addresses their security concerns.

Baghaei dismissed any potential use of the mechanism — a provision within the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — as lacking both legal and political credibility. He argued that European signatories, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, had themselves failed to uphold their obligations under the deal and therefore lacked the legitimacy to trigger its punitive clauses.

Under the JCPOA, initially signed by Iran and six world powers — the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and the United States — Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. However, the deal has unravelled since 2018 when then-U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the agreement and reinstated sanctions, prompting Tehran to progressively scale back its commitments.

The current warning from Tehran comes after a French diplomatic source told Reuters that European nations may be left with little choice but to revert to the snapback mechanism if Iran refuses to return to compliance or reach a new agreement. The snapback clause allows any JCPOA signatory to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran by presenting evidence of significant non-compliance to the UN Security Council — a move that cannot be vetoed.

Tensions have been further exacerbated by recent regional developments, including a brief but intense 12-day air conflict between Iran and Israel earlier this year. While a ceasefire was eventually reached, diplomatic efforts to restart formal negotiations between the U.S. and Iran have stalled. When asked about a possible meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and President Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Baghaei confirmed that no date or location had yet been set.

Western governments continue to accuse Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons capabilities — an allegation Iran vehemently denies, maintaining that its nuclear programme is purely for peaceful purposes.

The latest developments underscore the fragile state of the Iran nuclear deal and the mounting geopolitical stakes as world powers seek to address growing nuclear proliferation concerns amid broader instability in the Middle East.