Iran’s IAEA envoy: West’s ‘ineffective’ pressure campaign to backfire

The Western strategy of exerting pressure on Tehran to force its unilateral compliance with nuclear obligations is “not only ineffective but also counterproductive,” Iran’s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned.

Speaking at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, Mohsen Naziri Asl addressed Western-sponsored censure resolutions against Tehran and the continued imposition of sanctions over unsubstantiated claims that Iran seeks nuclear weapons.

He underscored the failure of Western parties to uphold their commitments under the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, a failure that began with the US withdrawal from the accord in 2018 and was further exacerbated by the inability of the remaining European signatories – France, Germany, and Britain – to compensate for Washington’s exit.

Naziri Asl said Iran’s decision to scale back some of its commitments was a direct response to these violations, in line with Articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA, which grant Iran the right to take remedial action if other parties fail to uphold their obligations.

He reiterated that Iran’s remedial measures under the nuclear agreement will be abandoned only if sanctions by the United States, the European Union, and three European parties to the accord are lifted in a manner that is both effective and verifiable.

“Experience has shown that the policy of pressure pursued by certain parties is not only ineffective but also counterproductive.”

West is in no position to activate snapback

The Iranian envoy also dismissed any attempts by the European parties to invoke the JCPOA’s snapback mechanism.

Since France, Germany, and Britain – known as the E3 – have themselves violated UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA, they lack the legitimacy to trigger the dispute resolution mechanism in response to Iran’s remedial actions, the envoy argued.

“The E3 cannot pursue the same legal course against Iran, as such an action contradicts both the purpose of the dispute resolution mechanism within the JCPOA and the fundamental principles of international law among civilized nations.”

He said attempting to invoke the snapback mechanism would be “legally baseless, unjust, and strongly rejected.”

With the JCPOA’s so-called ‘Termination Day’ approaching, Naziri Asl urged all the IAEA member states to focus their efforts on implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrines the nuclear deal.

IAEA’s political resolution won’t hinder Iran’s nuclear development: Interim FM

Ali Bagheri Kani was addressing the foreign ministerial meeting of the member states of the BRICS group of countries in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.

He warned against allowing years of international diplomacy and investment in the agreement to be undermined.

“It is our responsibility to preserve this achievement. We call on all member states to fully implement the provisions of Resolution 2231, including its specified timeline.”

Responding to Western accusations that Iran seeks nuclear weapons, the envoy reaffirmed that Iran firmly rejects weapons of mass destruction (WMD) based on its ideological and strategic principles, considering them outdated, inhumane, and a threat to global peace and security.

Termination Day is the date when the remaining UN sanctions on Iran are scheduled to be lifted, marking a final step in the JCPOA’s implementation.

Originally set for October 2025, this milestone signifies the official conclusion of restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program under the deal.

However, European powers are exploring ways to trigger the snapback mechanism, using Iran’s remedial measures as a pretext.

This mechanism, which is embedded in Resolution 2231, allows any signatory to re-impose UN sanctions if Iran is found to be in “significant non-compliance.”

In 2020, the Trump administration attempted to activate the snapback despite having withdrawn from the JCPOA. The move was widely rejected by the international community, notably the UN Security Council.

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