Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Tehran now has limited options, the best of which is bitter.
This comes after the European Troika launched, on August 28, the mechanism for re-imposing UN sanctions on Iran, or what is known as the “Snapback” mechanism.
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed on Wednesday that only hours separate Iran from the return of sanctions.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Bezeshkian acknowledged that consultations with the Europeans “did not go as expected”.
Options and Terms
Everyone is asking questions about the options available to the Iranian side to avoid the “trigger mechanism.”
The answer may have come from French President Emmanuel Macron. He confirmed two days ago that Iran could avoid sanctions if it agreed to the Troika’s “legitimate” terms.
The conditions include agreeing to allow IAEA inspectors access to all Iranian nuclear facilities.
As well as responding to concerns about its stockpile of enriched uranium and engaging in talks with the United States.
However, the Iranian response so far has not been promising.
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, explained after a media briefing with non-permanent members of the Security Council on Thursday. He stated that his country will end the “Cairo Agreement” with the International Atomic Energy Agency as a first step if sanctions are restored.
Excluded vote
Another option that could represent a chance of survival for Iran is for the Security Council to vote on Friday on a Russian-Chinese text. This text aims to extend the lifting of sanctions.
However, several diplomatic sources believed that the Russian-Chinese text was not expected to receive nine votes out of 15 in the Security Council. This is needed for the text to be adopted.
Beijing and Moscow have previously denounced the “trigger mechanism” stipulated in the agreement.
Which the European Troika activated last August, to re-impose sanctions that were lifted on Iran in 2015. The Troika considers these sanctions illegal.
The Security Council also voted about two weeks ago to give the green light to activate the “trigger mechanism”.
It will reimpose severe sanctions on Iran starting at midnight GMT on Saturday.
Macron announced after negotiations that lasted several days on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. He said it was still “possible” to spare Iran from reactivating international sanctions, if it responded to the legitimate conditions of the European Troika.
But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Thursday strongly criticized the Europeans.
He stressed that his country is following a “responsible and fair” approach to the nuclear file. This followed a meeting with his British counterpart in New York.
2015 agreement
It is noteworthy that in 2015, an international agreement was reached on the Iranian nuclear issue. This agreement defined the frameworks for Iranian nuclear activities in exchange for lifting sanctions on the country.
But the United States unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 during Donald Trump’s first presidential term.
It also reimposed US sanctions on Tehran, which responded by gradually reneging on most of its core obligations under it.
Then, in mid-2025, the Iranian and American sides began holding rounds of talks that extended until June.
During preparations for the sixth round, Israel attacked military and nuclear sites inside Iran.
Tehran responded in turn, before the United States also intervened in the war in June, bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities.
This naturally suspended any negotiations between the two sides. It also held talks on the Iranian nuclear file with the Europeans as well.
