UK Warns Iran of “Dramatic Sanctions” if Nuclear Cooperation Not Restored
European powers are preparing to impose sweeping sanctions on Iran within weeks unless it halts its growing nuclear opacity and reopens access to UN nuclear inspectors, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy warned on Tuesday, according to The Guardian.
Speaking amid rising tensions following a 12-day military confrontation between Iran and Israel, Lammy issued a stark message: “Iran cannot assume Israel would not strike its nuclear sites again.” He emphasized that “Iran has lost its air defenses,” and suggested that Israeli forces—closely monitoring Iran—could act again if they assess that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure remains vulnerable to further disruption.
Lammy pointed to a potential reactivation of the “snapback” mechanism enshrined in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The UK, France, and Germany—collectively known as the E3—have the authority to invoke this clause, which would reinstate comprehensive UN sanctions across Iran’s economy. These sanctions could include arms embargoes, missile technology restrictions, and international cargo inspections.
“Iran’s decision to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear inspectorate only deepens global uncertainty about its intentions,” Lammy warned, referring to Iran’s abrupt halt in engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last week.
That decision followed a sharp escalation in hostilities that included unprecedented Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Iran has since accused the IAEA of playing a role in provoking those attacks through a resolution passed in June, which found Iran in breach of its nuclear non-proliferation obligations.
The resolution has further strained relations between Tehran and the West, and according to diplomats, may serve as a basis for European powers to refer Iran to the UN Security Council later this summer. That path is separate from, but runs parallel to, the JCPOA’s snapback mechanism, which could be triggered before the agreement’s key sanctions relief provisions expire on October 18.
European officials are reportedly considering a late-August deadline for invoking the snapback if no progress is seen in nuclear diplomacy.
In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a pointed warning to European capitals. He cautioned that any move to reimpose UN sanctions under the snapback provision would lead to a “serious and potentially irreversible escalation in tensions.”
As diplomatic channels remain tense and military risks persist, the coming weeks appear critical. European powers are signaling that patience is running out—and that Iran’s return to cooperation may be the only way to avoid a renewed international confrontation.
