French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a stern warning to Iran, insisting the country still has a final opportunity to prevent sweeping United Nations snapback sanctions if it cooperates on its nuclear program.
Speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Macron met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging Tehran to reverse steps taken after an Israeli and US strike in June.
Macron emphasized that Iran must:
- Allow full access to UN nuclear inspectors.
- Resume stalled nuclear negotiations immediately.
- Provide transparency on the highly enriched uranium whose whereabouts remain unclear.
“An agreement remains possible. Only a few hours are left. It’s up to Iran to respond to the legitimate conditions we have raised,” Macron posted on X after the meeting.
US Envoy Issues Tough Message
US envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been in indirect talks with Tehran, said Iran was in a “tough position” ahead of the looming deadline. He maintained that Washington preferred a peaceful resolution but warned that “snapbacks will be the right medicine” if no agreement is reached.
Iran’s Denial and Counter-Accusations
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with European counterparts on Tuesday, but the talks yielded little progress beyond an agreement to continue discussions.
Earlier, President Pezeshkian rejected Western accusations, declaring before the UN assembly:
“Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb. The real destabilizer in the region is Israel, yet Iran is the one punished.”
Pezeshkian also condemned the West’s stance, accusing European nations of bad faith following former US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
He further displayed images of victims allegedly killed during the 12-day Israeli military campaign against Iran in June, which Tehran claims left over 1,000 dead.
What Snapback Sanctions Mean
The snapback mechanism would automatically restore wide-ranging UN economic sanctions lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal. These sanctions had been suspended after the Obama-era agreement, but Trump’s withdrawal and subsequent US airstrikes reignited tensions.
With Saturday’s deadline approaching, pressure mounts on Tehran to make concessions or face international isolation once again.
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