STORY: Anger and concern in Tehran after Britain, Germany and France triggered a process to reimpose U.N. sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program.

The Islamic Republic rejects Western accusations that it’s seeking a nuclear weapon.

But the three powers say it has violated a 2015 deal and have launched the so-called “snapback” mechanism that sets sanctions in train.

:: What’s Iran doing?

:: June 13, 2025

Israel and the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile facilities during an Israel-Iran war in June.

Israeli strikes that month killed top nuclear scientists.

The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran is “dramatically” increasing enrichment of uranium to up to 60% purity, close to the roughly 90% weapons-grade level.

And Western countries say such a high level isn’t needed for civilian uses.

But Iran says its program is peaceful – “science is power”, this billboard says.

Here’s Sanam Vakil of London’s Chatham House thinktank.

“After the war, Iran evicted IAEA inspectors from Tehran so its nuclear facilities have not been assessed and the damage to those facilities have not been assessed by the IAEA. And there has been no formal assessment by any international body. There have been some intelligence assessments. So in absence of that oversight, there is really no clarity. Iran could be using this lack of oversight to make some advancements should its program have survived, or some parts and components of its program survived. Iran could at the same time be trying to use the lack of oversight as a leverage point to gain some concessions and return to the negotiating table.”

:: What’s the 2015 deal?

:: July 14, 2015

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA of 2015 lifted U.N., U.S. and European sanctions on Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

As well as Iran and the three European powers, the U.S., Russia, and China all signed.

A U.N. Security Council resolution that year enshrined the deal.

But that resolution expires October 18, as does the ability of any party to the deal to trigger a sanctions “snapback”.

:: What is ‘snapback’?

“Snapback” launches the sanctions process at the 15-member U.N. Security Council.

Now the Security Council must vote within 30 days on a resolution to continue Iran’s sanctions relief.

That’s expected to fail, since Britain, France and the United States have veto powers.

If so, all U.N. sanctions on Iran will be reimposed in late September.

Russia and China say Germany, France, and Britain have not followed the dispute resolution process outlined in the deal.

So why did they launch “snapback”?

VAKIL: “They would like to use this pressure on Iran to return oversight on Iran’s nuclear program, as well as a return to the negotiating table in order to bring more transparency and accountability on this important international issue.”

:: What’s the U.S. role?

:: May 8, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018 led to what Vakil calls a “cascade of crises”.

Iran began moving away from its nuclear-related commitments under the accord.

Trump restored a “maximum pressure” campaign and with the war in June, indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. were suspended.

VAKIL: “So in this context, in this landscape of mistrust, diplomatic uncertainty, and I would say above all, a lack of leadership in Iran, but also in the international community, we’re entering into yet another round of protracted tensions and perhaps even conflict.”

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Tuesday that “the first team of IAEA inspectors is back in Iran,” and the agency was still discussing how to resume inspections.

France, Britain, and Germany have offered to extend the snapback mechanism for a limited time.

They say that would allow more time for negotiations with the aim of reaching a new agreement.