Tehran vows to respond to European decision it calls ‘unjustified and illegal’

Iran has promised a response to the decision, which it called "unjustified and illegal," by Paris, London, and Berlin to trigger on Thursday the mechanism allowing for the reimposition of U.N. sanctions against Tehran for failing to meet its commitments on its nuclear program.

The Europeans had for months raised the threat of activating this mechanism, known as the snapback, which initiates a 30-day process to reimpose a series of sanctions against Tehran.

Their decision to activate it comes just weeks before the ability to use it expires, under the terms of the 2015 international agreement on Iran's nuclear program, and after the Israeli and American bombing campaign conducted in June against Iranian program sites.

"Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran would respond appropriately to this illegal and unjustified action," said a statement from his ministry, published after a phone call between Mr. Araghchi and his French, German, and British counterparts.

On Thursday, the three European countries — parties to the 2015 agreement — triggered this mechanism, according to a letter to the U.N. Security Council seen by AFP.

Tehran had previously warned that it would exclude the Europeans from any future negotiations regarding its nuclear program if they took this step.

The Iranian minister expressed to his counterparts "the hope that the three European countries (...) by understanding the existing realities, will appropriately correct this bad decision in the coming days," the statement added.

After the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, sparked June 13 by an Israeli attack on Iranian military and nuclear sites, negotiations between Washington and Tehran for a nuclear deal stalled.

Tehran also suspended its cooperation in July with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is in charge of monitoring its program, and clarified Wednesday that the return of IAEA inspectors to Iran does not mark a full resumption of relations.

In their letter, the three European countries specified that they would "fully use the 30-day period" provided to try to find a negotiated solution and succeed in avoiding the restoration of sanctions.