Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, stated recently that Tehran may also exit the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if Western countries invoke the snapback mechanism to have UN sanctions reimposed by doing so.
Following the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors’ resolution, which accused Iran of refusing to cooperate fully in its nuclear program, the United States, France and Germany submitted a draft proposing that Iran should improve such cooperation and even report in full on what it is up to in the nuclear area.In reply, Iran announced that it has started an installation of new advanced centrifuges that will enrich uranium.
The snapback mechanism, which forms part of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, enables sanctions to be rapidly restored if Iran is found to be failing to comply with the accord. In effect it has been the European signatories to the JCPOA—commonly known as the European troika (E3) —who would be authorized to put his mechanism into practice.Describing the E3’s move as illegal and undue pressure, Iran has viewed it as being out of keeping with the normal operation of world affairs.
Consequently, Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the IAEA, visited Tehran to resolve the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and concerns over Iran’s nuclear program amid ever-higher tensions in the Middle East and Donald Trump’s anticipated return to the presidency of the United States. With this aim, he made a trip to Iran’s nuclear facilities in the hope that they would restore his team’s free access as inspectors, and settle those problems stemming from the American withdrawal.
Potential activation of the snapback mechanism and an Iranian NPT exit might further destabilize the region and complicate the efforts of foreign diplomats seeking to persuade Iran not to pursue nuclear arms. European nations have expressed the hope to engage with Iran for serious dialogue so as to avoid escalation, especially in light of the potential return to the White House of Donald Trump.
As the problem continued to develop, the world looked on, conscious of the profound implications involved for global non-proliferation and regional security conditions.
