Iranian Threat to Suspend Cooperation with IAEA: Tehran Denounces 'Snap-Back Mechanism' as Hostile Action

Iran confirmed on Saturday that the European trio (Germany, France, and Britain) has no legal or legitimate right to activate the "Snap-Back Mechanism" included in the 2015 nuclear deal. Tehran explicitly threatened to suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if this measure is taken, describing it as a "hostile act."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that activating this mechanism would mean the cancellation of all recent understandings with the IAEA, indicating that Iran "cannot cooperate with the agency as it did before." He clarified that dealing with the agency will change radically to align with the new law approved by the Iranian parliament and the Supreme National Security Council. He pointed out that any inspections of nuclear facilities will be subject to these laws, and that the understanding with the agency is conditioned on no hostile actions being taken against Iran.

The "Snap-Back Mechanism" is a provision in the nuclear agreement that allows any of the signatory parties to automatically re-impose international sanctions on Tehran if it is proven to be in violation of its nuclear obligations, without the need for a new vote in the UN Security Council.

Ibrahim Rezaei, a member of the Iranian Parliament's Presiding Board, said that the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee listened to a briefing from Minister Araghchi, who affirmed that Europe "has no right to activate the snap-back mechanism, and this action is illegal and illegitimate." Araghchi explained that the recent understanding with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Cairo stipulated that the agency must take Iran's security concerns into account and that any hostile act, such as activating the snap-back mechanism, would render this understanding "as if it never was."

The Iranian minister stressed that his country is not in a defensive position but will adhere to the parliament's law, which was approved last July and stipulates the suspension of cooperation with the agency. He also clarified that the economic effects of activating this mechanism are exaggerated, and that the political and psychological effects are more significant. He added that Iran seeks a new framework for cooperation with the agency and is not looking to return to the previous format.