Iran, Europe make no headway in talks before ‘snapback’ deadline - reports

The Islamic Republic needs to "create capacities so that the enemy will not be tempted to take action again," Larijani said in an interview with the Supreme Leader's official website, published on Friday.

"Right now, since we are engaged in a war currently paused by a ceasefire, this is therefore an important matter that we must pay attention to."

Israel launched a surprise military campaign on June 13 targeting Iran's military and nuclear sites, killing 1,062 people including 276 civilians.

Iran responded with missile strikes that killed 31 civilians and one off-duty soldier, according to official figures published by the Israeli government.

Larijani's remarks are the latest in a series of combative comments from leaders on both sides, with Israel’s army chief vowing readiness for further strikes and Iran’s General Staff warning of “a far stronger response” to any future attacks by the United States or Israel.

A top military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader warned last week that another war with Israel or the United States was likely, dismissing the current ceasefire as just another phase in the conflict.

“We are not in a ceasefire, we are in a stage of war. No protocol, regulation, or agreement has been written between us and the US or Israel,” said senior Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) general Yahya Rahim Safavi.

The Israeli war started on the eve of the sixth round of Iran's negotiations with the United States over its disputed nuclear program.

Asked whether Tehran would focus on continued negotiations or consider other options, Larijani said talks will always remain an important tool.

“Genuine negotiation takes place when the other side understands that war is useless, that Iran will not surrender under pressure, and that Iranians are not the kind to give in,” Larijani added in his interview with Khamenei's website.

Last week he said during a visit to Lebanon that “if the United States realizes it cannot defeat the Islamic Republic through war and then seeks negotiations, we will respond positively. But if they negotiate only to prepare for the next war, it will be of no benefit to us."

Iran won't accept offer to extend snapback deadline

Iran and France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (the E3) are expected to resume their nuclear talks on August 26, Iran’s foreign minister said Friday, following a phone call with his counterparts from the three European countries and the European Union’s foreign policy chief.

Iranian diplomats last met with representatives of the three European countries in Istanbul on July 25.

The E3 have warned Iran they would restore UN sanctions under the so-called "snapback" mechanism by the end of August unless it reopened talks on its nuclear program immediately and produced concrete results before the deadline.

“Logic suggests resolving issues via talks, not pressure. Some use threats like snapback, but disagreements persist over its application,” Larijani said.

Iran's top security official referred to a European proposal for the extension of the August deadline, saying, "Some countries have requested a six-month extension [of snapback deadline], but Iran does not agree."

"We had an agreement that was supposed to be completed within 10 years; it's not meant to be extended repeatedly. This is just rule-twisting, and we do not accept it."

The ‘snapback’ or ‘trigger mechanism’ is part of UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Under Resolution 2231, any party to the accord can file a complaint accusing Iran of non-compliance. If no agreement is reached within 30 days to maintain sanctions relief, all previous UN sanctions automatically ‘snap back,’ including arms embargoes, cargo inspections, and missile restrictions.

“Disagreement exists over the trigger mechanism. Iran rejects it as a new cycle of extensions that violates the original 10-year deal. Some domestically favor short-term acceptance, but we do not. Its activation in the Security Council remains contentious,” Larijani said.

Asked whether Iran might consider leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in response to the possible return of UN sanctions, Larijani said the treaty is both a signal of intent and a benchmark for bomb-seeking behavior.

“NPT acceptance depends on intent. We're not seeking bombs, so the NPT is fine, but it has not benefited us,” Larijani said.

According to federal documents, the Air Force seeks 16 replicas of the Shahed-136, with the option to procure 20 more in the future.

“This acquisition aims to leverage drones representative of the Shahed-136, which is currently used by adversarial countries and is being encountered in multiple areas of operation,” the request for information (RFI) said.

Shahed drones are slow, low-flying, and harder to detect on radar compared to fighter jets or bombers.

Stars and Stripes quoted an expert as saying that the initiative is likely intended to help US forces practice countering and eliminating such threats.

The Shahed-136 was first publicly revealed in 2021 during an Iranian military exercise. Its affordability, swarm tactics, and export success have made it a game-changer in asymmetric warfare especially the Russia-Ukraine war.

In July, the United States unveiled its own low-cost drone, the LUCAS (Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System), developed by Arizona-based SpektreWorks.

The Shahed-136 is a pusher-propelled, delta-wing drone armed with a 50-kilogram warhead, capable of flying up to 2,500 kilometers (1,500 miles) at a speed of around 185 km/h (114 mph).

Iran began exporting Shahed drones to Russia after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia has since started producing the drone domestically, modifying it for higher speed to evade air defenses and renaming it Geran (Geranium), following a Soviet-era tradition of naming weapons after flowers.

Russia frequently deploys Shahed drones alongside ballistic missile salvos to overwhelm Ukrainian air defense systems.

Tehran has framed the August 20 visit as part of a concerted move against Western pressure.

Iran newspaper, the administration’s mouthpiece, wrote that the president’s decision to visit Minsk was a logical continuation of Tehran’s foreign policy—a policy emphasizing a multipolar world, national sovereignty, independence, and resistance to coercion.”

Similarly, Nour News, close to Ali Khamenei's top advisor Ali Shamkhani, described the trip as a “clear message against global unilateralism and sanctions.”

Consolidating the 'Look East' strategy

For many observers, the choice of Belarus as one of Pezeshkian’s first foreign destinations after the 12-day war with Israel was a deliberate statement of intent.

Esfandiar Khodaee, a foreign relations commentator, wrote in Khabar Online that the visit showed the “Looking East” policy was no longer just a legacy of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Ebrahim Raisi, but “a standing pillar of the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy.”

The approach traces back to Ahmadinejad’s presidency, when Tehran expanded ties with China, Russia, India, and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reaffirmed the policy in 2018 with the slogan “Looking East,” emphasizing reliance on non-Western partners as sanctions mounted.

Analysts note that Europe’s hardened stance on Iran’s nuclear file—coupled with escalating US sanctions—has pushed Tehran further into Russia’s orbit.

As a commentary published by Moj News Agency put it, “Tehran’s choice of Belarus at this moment highlights its prioritization of ties with anti-Western, pro-Russian states—especially as Europe in recent months has shown no flexibility in its dealings with Iran.”

"Those who say we shouldn’t work with China and Russia — do they mean we should stand alone?" Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council said in an interview with Khamenei's website published on Friday.

"Well, when the Westerners don’t work with us, we work with China, we work with other countries," he added.

A message of resilience

Belarus, like Iran, is heavily sanctioned and has faced sharp international isolation since aligning with Moscow over the war in Ukraine. Both states thus share an interest in showcasing resilience against sanctions.

Alireza Salimi, a member of parliament’s presiding board, told ISNA that the president’s visits to Armenia and Belarus sent a message that Iran is “sanctions-proof”.

The rhetoric was reinforced by the agreements signed in Minsk. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Tehran and Minsk were upgrading their Comprehensive Cooperation Roadmap for 2023–2026 into a strategic partnership agreement.

The two sides also discussed closer alignment within the Eurasian Economic Union, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Military and security undertones

Though economic cooperation was highlighted, the military dimension loomed large. Tehran and Minsk have quietly expanded security ties in recent years: an August 2023 defense memorandum paved the way for Belarusian forces to join Iranian drills in 2024, and Iran opened its first military attaché office in Minsk in 2025.

Belarusian officials have recently discussed ramping up missile production, including exploring nuclear-capable options for their Polonez rocket systems. Iran’s expertise in missile development makes it a potential partner and could raise concerns in Western capitals.

Both governments also maintain open support for Moscow’s war effort, a stance that has drawn sharp condemnation from Ukraine and NATO states. Kyiv in particular has repeatedly denounced Tehran’s supply of drones to Russia.

Trade remains modest but symbolic

Despite official optimism, trade between the two countries remains limited. Araghchi said bilateral exchanges totaled $140 million in the first half of 2025—a 14 percent increase from last year, but quite modest.

Even if current volumes are low, both sides see such arrangements as politically symbolic and vital to their shared sanctions-circumvention strategies.

Both governments also see potential in expanding connectivity. Reza Masroor, head of Iran’s Supreme Council of Free and Special Economic Zones, noted that Belarus could gain access to open waters via Iran’s free zones through the Makhachkala–Caspian Port route.

This, he argued, would allow Minsk to bypass Baltic restrictions and connect to the North–South Corridor, enabling exports of potash, agricultural goods, and industrial products to markets in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond.

Potzel said the embassy would reduce its staff, which will lead to stricter visa issuance for applicants inside Iran.

“I’ve seen many changes this year. Iran today is different from a year ago. I wish you all peace, stability, and the fulfillment of your dreams. I hope to return and see your aspirations fulfilled,” Potzel said.

The ambassador made the remarks in a farewell video on the German Embassy’s Instagram account, delivering a short message in Persian.

The announcement came one day after a group of Iranian visa applicants protested outside the German Embassy in Tehran, denouncing the embassy’s refusal to issue visas.

On August 13, more than 550 individuals — including activists, journalists, human rights defenders, and victims of eye injuries from the Woman, Life, Freedom movement — wrote to the German government urging the immediate resumption of visa processing for at-risk political and civil activists, trade unionists, journalists, and injured victims.

Several embassies and consulates in Iran suspended services in June during the 12-day war with Israel.

Citing security concerns, the German Embassy relocated some consular staff to other countries in the region but continues to provide limited services in Iran.

Austria on Thursday announced the suspension of all consular services in Iran until further notice.

“We are working to re-establish the conditions which would allow us to resume consular services at the Embassy in Tehran,” Alena Baur, deputy spokesperson for the Austrian foreign ministry in Vienna, told Iran International via email.

“As of today, there is no concrete indication when consular services will resume,” Baur said.

The embassies of Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom also suspended their activities in June due to Israel’s military campaign against Iran but have since resumed operations.

The Czech Embassy also halted services in June and has not yet resumed, though it announced plans to gradually restart operations in September.

The closure of foreign embassies in Tehran during and after the 12-day war left between 3,000 and 4,000 Iranian passports stuck in diplomatic missions, stranding visa applicants, Iranian officials said earlier this month.

During the call, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined Tehran’s position on the so-called “snapback” mechanism in the 2015 nuclear deal, warning the European powers and the EU against what he called their lack of legal authority to invoke the measure.

He cautioned that resorting to such a step would have serious consequences.

Araghchi said Iran remained committed to diplomacy but would continue to defend its rights and interests.

“Just as the Islamic Republic acts firmly in self-defense, it has never abandoned diplomacy and is prepared for any solution that guarantees the rights and interests of the Iranian people,” he said, according to a statement by the ministry.

Responding to European suggestions of extending UN Security Council Resolution 2231 to allow more time for negotiations, Araghchi said such a decision lay with the Council itself.

He added Tehran would continue consultations with its partners at the United Nations on the implications of such a move.

The European ministers and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated their readiness to pursue a diplomatic solution, the statement said.

Iran must engage with US and IAEA

The EU foreign policy chief on Friday urged Iran to engage with the US and cooperate with the IAEA to avert the return of UN sanctions, following what she called an important phone call with the foreign ministers of Iran, UK, France and Germany.

"Europe is committed to a diplomatic solution to the nuclear issue. With the deadline for the snapback mechanism fast approaching, Iran’s readiness to engage with the US is crucial. Iran must also fully cooperate with the IAEA."

The talks between Iran and the so-called E3 will resume in Vienna on Tuesday at the level of deputy foreign ministers.