Europe's big three, France, the UK and Germany, are determined to brandish their most potent tool in nuclear talks with Iran as they return to the negotiating table on Friday in Istanbul, experts have said.
The so-called snapback mechanism allows for the reinstatement of six suspended UN Security Council resolutions in a move that cannot be vetoed by any of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The 2015 Iran nuclear deal was uniquely structured around the role of the UNSC's China, the US, Russia, France and the UK.
"It's unique leverage," said Behrooz Bayat, a former external expert at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and senior fellow at Berlin-based think tank, the Centre for Middle East and Global Order. He said it stops "Europeans from being sidelined" by Donald Trump's US administration.
These resolutions include arms embargoes, frozen assets and restrictions on Iran’s missile and nuclear programmes.
The talks in Istanbul, announced by Iran, come one month after the German, French and British foreign ministers met their Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva. The talks yielded no breakthrough but Iran said it was ready to consider diplomacy again. They were dismissed at the time by US President Donald Trump, who described them as unhelpful. The next day, he ordered air strikes on Iran's nuclear programme after weeks of Israeli air raids.
Looming deadline
Top-tier ministers will not attend the meeting. Iran will send its deputy foreign minister and Europeans will be represented by their respective ministry's political directors. Yet the talks are likely to be closely scrutinised as the October deadline looms to trigger a snapback, which takes at least 30 days.
"It's very urgent," Mr Bayat said. "To retain this leverage, Europeans have to come to a conclusion." Similar talks took place in February 2025 and November 2024.
Contacted by The National, the German Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting will take place on Friday. A representative said if there is no "sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution" by the end of August, "the snapback mechanism will remain an option" for the European heavyweights. Last week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said UN sanctions would be reimposed in August "at the latest" without "a firm, tangible and verifiable commitment from Iran".
There is a perception in European capital cities that Iran is stalling, hoping to avoid consequences before the deadline. At the same time, positions are hardening. Iran insists it will not abandon its nuclear programme. France is now aligned with the US on demanding zero uranium enrichment. Under the nuclear deal in 2015, the figure was 3.67 per cent, deemed sufficient for civilian purposes.
Yet Iran has said it is open to a deal with the West. Reimposing UN sanctions could heighten the risk of military escalation, Mr Bayat warned, because they were all adopted under chapter seven of the UN Charter, which deals with threats to world peace and security. "Maybe Israel will feel even freer to attack than before," he said.
National pride
Israel's recent bombing campaign severely dented Iran's nuclear plants and killed about 1,000 Iranians. The nuclear programme "is now stopped" because of the severity of the damage, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Fox News on Monday. But it will eventually resume because it is a "question of national pride" for Iran, he added.
Iran insists its programme is peaceful in the face of widespread disbelief in the West due to levels of enrichment going way beyond what is needed for civilian purposes. Iran's sole civilian power plant in Bushehr is fuelled with Russian-imported uranium.
Some potential for compromise remain on the table. Iran had told Europeans that it would agree on a deal that allowed enrichment at less than 1 per cent, former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said. Iran had also reportedly agreed to include its ballistic programme in the talks, a longstanding European demand.
The figure of 1 per cent might be a face-saving formula for Iran, Mr Bayat suggested. "It's a bit bizarre – uranium is already naturally enriched at 0.7 per cent," he said. "Maybe such a formula would allow the regime to talk to its constituencies [and claim] that somehow enrichment has been rescued."
For Britain, France and Germany, the challenge ahead lies in maintaining pressure on Iran without diplomatic talks collapsing. Europe is also keen to avoid further chaos in the region and may find a legal pathway to prolong the snapback mechanism if no deal can be reached in the next weeks.
"I assume Europeans don't want to activate the mechanism unless they are obliged to do it. On the other hand, they don't want to lose the leverage," Mr Bayat said. "It now depends on how co-operative Iran is."
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Brief scores:
Liverpool 3
Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'
Manchester United 1
Lingard 33'
Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
More from UAE Human Development Report:
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
