Iran rejects Western trigger mechanism threat as pressure tactic

Iran warned on Tuesday that it would respond strongly to any use of the so-called snapback mechanism by Western countries, a tool within the 2015 nuclear deal that could reimpose international sanctions on Tehran lifted by the deal.

Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), dismissed Western threats to invoke the mechanism as "hollow," arguing that Iran's reduction of its nuclear commitments was a direct result of the United States' withdrawal from the deal and the failure of other signatories to uphold their obligations.

"If they had fulfilled their commitments and the sanctions had been lifted, and if the US had not withdrawn from the JCPOA, naturally Iran would have fulfilled its commitments," Kamalvandi said, using the acronym for the nuclear deal.

"If Iran has stopped its commitments, it is because it does not benefit from this general agreement."

He emphasized that Iran views the trigger mechanism as a pressure tactic, similar to economic and military threats.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the trigger mechanism as a tool of pressure, like other economic and military threats, and will certainly stand firmly against these issues and defend the country's rights," Kamalvandi said.

While he highlighted Iran's openness to dialogue, he stressed that it would not succumb to pressure. "Iran is always ready for interaction, but this does not mean accepting pressure," he said, adding that the country's policies are determined by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. The US withdrew from the deal in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, reimposing sanctions on Tehran.

Iran has repeatedly warned of severe consequences, including NPT withdrawal, if snapback sanctions are triggered.

Activating the snapback would then fall to one of the three European countries, or E3, parties to the deal, France, Britain and Germany. Those powers are currently negotiating with Iran about future steps to salvage the agreement.

US lawmakers are pressing European allies to trigger the JCPOA's snapback mechanism, citing its nuclear deal violations. The bipartisan move, driven by concerns over Iran's near weapons-grade uranium enrichment, aims to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions before key deal provisions expire in October 2025.

Britain has mooted willingness to eventually trigger the UN sanctions.

Iran has enriched uranium to up to 60% fissile purity, closer to the 90% needed for a bomb.

Iran's uranium stock refined to up to 60% grew by 92.5 kilograms (kg) in the past quarter to 274.8 kg, one of the IAEA reports said. According to an IAEA yardstick, the amount is enough in principle for six nuclear bombs if enriched further.

While Tehran has reduced IAEA inspections since 2021 and in 2023 barred a third of the inspectors, it continues to argue that its nuclear activities are peaceful.