Snapback Mechanism to Provoke Iran’s Response, Spokesman Warns
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry warned the European troika that triggering the so-called snapback provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal will trigger Tehran’s proportional response.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Esmaeil Baqaei said what has been known as the snapback mechanism of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has no legal or political basis.
He added that the UK, France and Germany are employing the snapback provision as an instrument, saying their resorting to such a mechanism would lack any legal or moral basis considering the recent developments.
The spokesman explained that Iran still considers itself as a party to the JCPOA, but has reduced its commitments under the nuclear deal in response to the brazen violation of the agreement by the US and the European troika.
The three European governments are in no position to trigger the snapback mechanism, because they themselves have clearly breached the JCPOA and failed to honor their commitments, Baqaei added.
He stated that resorting to the snapback mechanism “is basically unjustifiable” considering that Iran has been attacked by the Israeli regime and the US.
Denouncing the threat of use of the snapback mechanism as a “merely political measure with the purpose of countering Iran”, the spokesman warned that such move will meet with an appropriate response from Iran.
In comments on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned the European troika that triggering the snapback mechanism will complicate matters further, end the EU3’s role in the talks on Iran’s nuclear program, and do irreparable damages to diplomatic relations.
