Nournews: Repeated claims and unreasonable demands won’t make them achievable. But do the European powers still consider these claims valid, or is their purpose just to disrupt the process and start a new round of neglecting their commitments? Evidence suggests the second option is more likely.

On Monday, Dec. 9th, France, Germany, and the UK issued a statement repeating their accusations against Iran’s nuclear program, based on a recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency. They stated:

a) They condemn the significant increase in uranium enrichment to 60% at the underground Fordo facility.
b) They are very concerned that Iran has increased the number of active centrifuges and has begun preparations for additional enrichment infrastructure.
c) They reaffirm their commitment to dialogue and constructive engagement with Iran.
d) They state that Iran's actions are further hollowing out the JCPOA and increasing its enriched uranium stockpiles without a credible civilian justification, and that this has occurred before the Agency could implement necessary additional safeguards.
e) They strongly urge Iran to reverse these steps and immediately stop escalating its nuclear tensions.

These claims have been firmly rejected by Iran, with Ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, writing a letter to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, denying the European trio’s accusations regarding Resolution 2231 and Iran's compliance with the JCPOA. The letter highlights four key principles of Iran’s nuclear policy.

1.Who’s at fault?

Iravani stated that any claim about Iran's compliance with the JCPOA is fundamentally wrong if it does not consider the complete withdrawal of the United States from the agreement. The reality is that the West is the party that failed to uphold its commitments, with Donald Trump being the first violator. European governments either willingly played along with him, not fulfilling their obligations, or were forced to do so. In both cases, Iran has been the main victim.

Denying this breach and creating post-event narratives is like telling history from a specific, chosen point, ignoring what happened before. If the JCPOA seems empty today, the blame lies with Europe and the US, not Iran. The US withdrawal marked the start of its collapse, and now Europe’s tone about this deal is not only unhelpful but absurd.

2.Iran, the IAEA, and three decades of cooperation

Iravani also emphasized that Iran has been under the strictest verification and monitoring by the IAEA. This fact is clear in almost all of the IAEA’s reports on Iran’s nuclear activities. Iran has always cooperated with the Agency and followed the principle of "commitment for commitment." It is absurd for the West to accuse Iran of not complying with agreements when, before the US withdrawal from the JCPOA, Iran had the most extensive cooperation and supervision, as evidenced by news archives from 2015 to 2018.

The IAEA even installed cameras in Iran's nuclear facilities, marking the first of its kind. Until the US left the deal, all of the IAEA's monthly and annual reports confirmed this cooperation. The real turning point was not Iran's actions, but the inaction of the West. The notion that the US leaves the deal, Europe does nothing, and Iran would continue waiting for them to fulfill their promises was naive, and this illusion was shattered when Iran passed the Strategic Action Law and increased its nuclear activities. Even before the latest IAEA resolution, Iran had expressed willingness to cooperate.

3.The language of threats won’t work

Iravani’s letter to the European trio contained a key message: "Any threat to activate the snapback mechanism will not be constructive and will face a firm response from Iran." According to the sunset clause in the JCPOA, nuclear restrictions on Iran are set to be lifted in October 2025, and the situation will return to normal. The looming end of these sanctions is a major concern for the West, which is trying to use different tactics, including threatening Iran with the snapback mechanism, to neutralize this clause.

If Europe uses the snapback mechanism, it will only lead to further tensions. Any such action that deprives Iran of its legal rights under the JCPOA will face a firm response. The Western parties must understand that Tehran is resolute and clear in this matter. The reality today is that it is the US and Europe, through their bad faith and inaction, that have caused the JCPOA to lose its credibility, and now they are trying to use baseless excuses and false narratives to undermine the most important part of the agreement—the sunset clause. Iran knows very well, from years of dealing with these governments, that such claims are just a way to restart a futile cycle that has already proven ineffective.

Iran is pursuing its nuclear program within international law and based on mutual commitments, and any pressure or threat, including the snapback threat, will only escalate tensions and complicate diplomacy. Ultimately, it is the European trio that must adopt a more realistic and committed approach to create the conditions for the revival of agreements.