Khamenei Representative Calls European Snapback Threat ‘Worthless Paper’

A representative of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has dismissed European threats to trigger sanctions against Iran, calling the nuclear deal’s snapback mechanism legally invalid.

Hossein Shariatmadari, Khamenei’s representative at Keyhan newspaper, wrote in a Saturday editorial titled “The Snapback Mechanism Is Worthless Paper, Don’t Be Fooled” that the threats by three European countries to activate the mechanism lack legal credibility.

Referring to a June 12 statement by France, Germany, and Britain regarding the possible return of sanctions, Shariatmadari wrote, “These threats are hollow because the JCPOA no longer exists externally after America’s withdrawal.”

The Keyhan editor criticised the policies and negotiators of the Hassan Rouhani administration.

“Unfortunately,” he said, “the negotiating team’s ignorance allowed Article 37 of the JCPOA to become an opportunity for these empty threats. However, with America’s withdrawal, the JCPOA has lost its legal standing, and Europe cannot extract the snapback mechanism from the text of a dead agreement.”

He added that the United States violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231 by withdrawing from the nuclear deal, “but neither the Security Council nor even Mr. Rouhani’s government showed any reaction.”

Shariatmadari called on the Foreign Ministry to formally declare the "invalidity of the JCPOA" and prevent Europe and the United States from using “an agreement that is now worthless paper” to threaten Iran.

These comments come as European officials have repeatedly warned in recent weeks that they may reinstate UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran if Iran continues advancing its nuclear program or fails to release detained European citizens.

The snapback mechanism is an emergency brake built into the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) - a unique provision that allows for the swift reimposition of United Nations sanctions against Iran if it violates its nuclear commitments.

The snapback mechanism or the automatic reimposition of UN Security Council sanctions on Iran - long a subject of debate and criticism within Iran’s political and legal circles - has been a point of contention for nearly a decade, particularly regarding the role of the JCPOA negotiating team.

This was a method for the swift return of Security Council sanctions, originally designed and proposed by Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, and included in Resolution 2231.