European powers threaten Iran with renewed U.N. sanctions over nuclear deal

In 2025, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany met in New York and decided that they would reinstate U.N. sanctions on Iran if there was no significant progress towards a nuclear agreement by the end of August. This agreement followed a phone call conversation involving U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, emphasizing their collective stance on preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. The context of the discussions arises from the previous 2015 agreement that limited Iran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanction relief, from which the U.S. later withdrew under President Donald Trump. The European nations and the United States are now under pressure to act due to growing concerns over Iran's nuclear capabilities. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot highlighted the necessity of obtaining a tangible commitment from Iran before the deadline, reiterating the international obligation to ensure compliance with nuclear regulations. Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, indicated that Tehran would be willing to resume negotiations with the U.S. under the condition that there would be no further military actions affecting its nuclear facilities. These diplomatic efforts show the complexities of nuclear negotiations amid geopolitical tensions, particularly marked by U.S. airstrikes that previously harmed Iran's nuclear infrastructure and resulted in the country suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agreements made between the U.K., France, and Germany signify that any further delay in negotiations could lead to the reinstatement of sanctions that existed prior to the 2015 deal, intensifying the urgency for diplomatic resolution before the upcoming deadline.