Iran Accuses Europeans as Nuclear Deal Crumbles Ahead of New Talks

Iran’s Nuclear Crisis Grows Ahead of Istanbul Talks

In Tehran the Iranian foreign ministry blamed European powers for the 2015 nuclear deal’s collapse, accusing Britain, France and Germany of breaking their commitments ahead of renewed talks in Istanbul.

Background of the 2015 Accord

• The deal, reached between Iran and the UN Security Council’s permanent members—Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States—plus Germany, limited Iran’s nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief.
• In 2018 the United States withdrew unilaterally, reimposing sweeping sanctions and undermining the agreement’s enforcement mechanism.
• European firms exited Iran, deepening the country’s economic crisis while the mechanism intended to offset US sanctions never materialised.

Europe’s Failure and the Snapback Clause

“The European parties have been at fault and negligent in implementing the nuclear agreement,” said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei, preceding a Friday meeting in Istanbul between Iranian officials and representatives from Britain, France and Germany.

In the wake of talks, Baqaei announced Tehran would host a trilateral meeting on Tuesday addressing the nuclear issue and possible sanctions re‑imposition with Chinese and Russian representatives.

Recent weeks saw the three European powers threaten to trigger the UN “snapback” mechanism, accusing Tehran of breaching its nuclear commitments. A German diplomatic source told AFP that the E3 were in contact with Tehran, stressing that “Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon“; the source added that Germany, France and the United Kingdom are working intensively in the E3 format to find a sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution.

Iran’s Response and IAEA Findings

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that Iran is the only non‑nuclear‑armed country currently enriching uranium to 60 percent—far beyond the 3.67 percent cap set by the 2015 accord—and a short step from the 90 percent enrichment required for a nuclear weapon.

“Using the snapback clause was meaningless, unjustifiable and immoral,” Baqaei told a news conference, arguing that Iran only began distancing itself from the agreement in response to Western non‑compliance. “Iran’s reduction of its commitments was carried out in accordance with the provisions outlined in the agreement,” he added.

West‑East Tensions and Upcoming Confrontations

Western powers, led by the United States and backed by Israel, have long accused Tehran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons capability. Iran has repeatedly denied this, insisting its nuclear programme is solely for civilian purposes such as energy production.

The United States and Israel have called for increased sanctions and military pressure against Iran’s nuclear programme. Iran and Washington held five rounds of nuclear talks since April, but a planned meeting on June 15 was cancelled after Israel launched a military strike on Iran on June 13, triggering a 12‑day conflict.

“At this stage, we have no intention of speaking with America,” Baqaei said Monday.

Militaristic Escalation and Future Outlook

Israel launched surprise strikes on June 13 targeting key military and nuclear facilities. The United States followed with its own set of strikes on June 22, hitting the uranium enrichment facility at Fordo, in Qom province south of Tehran, as well as nuclear sites in Isfahan and Natanz.

As the international community prepares for the upcoming discussions in Istanbul, the stakes remain high: whether tensions will ease, new agreements reached, or the region’s nuclear security landscape will shift dramatically hangs in the balance.