Iran’s foreign minister declared Sunday that a landmark nuclear cooperation pact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), known as the Cairo Agreement, is no longer valid following the activation of the UN “snapback” mechanism by European powers, according to Mehr News Agency.
Speaking in Tehran after a meeting with foreign diplomats, Abbas Araghchi said the decision marked a turning point in Iran’s nuclear diplomacy, with Europe’s role in future negotiations now significantly diminished.
“The Europeans thought they could achieve results through the snapback mechanism, but this tool was ineffective and only made diplomacy more complicated,” Araghchi said. “Diplomacy will continue, but the parties and format of the talks have changed.”
The snapback provision, part of the 2015 nuclear accord, allows participants to reimpose UN sanctions if Iran is accused of non-compliance. Tehran has long argued the measure is both politically motivated and counterproductive.
Araghchi emphasized that Iran has repeatedly sought balanced solutions through dialogue but has faced “excessive and unreasonable” demands from Western governments. Past threats of military action and economic pressure, he added, did little to advance negotiations and only hardened mistrust.
The minister noted that Iran’s discussions in recent months, both direct and indirect, have focused largely on the United States, not Europe. While insisting that diplomacy remains possible, he warned that “recent developments at the UN Security Council have made the process more difficult.”
Araghchi also confirmed that Tehran and the IAEA had negotiated a new technical cooperation framework, initially finalized in Cairo. But in light of heightened security concerns, including attacks on nuclear facilities, that agreement no longer applies. “New decisions will be made,” he said, stressing Iran’s readiness to prove the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
Citing widespread international condemnation of Israel’s June military strikes on Iran, the minister said global sympathy underscored Tehran’s image as a “responsible actor in international relations.” He concluded that Iran remains open to dialogue if other parties act in good faith: “We are fully prepared to pursue any solution that ensures mutual interests and builds confidence.”
