Araghchi reiterated via social media that Iran never walked away from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), stressing instead that it was the U.S. that both abandoned the 2015 accord and exited negotiations again in June 2025. He warned that if Europe continues to rely on “threats and unilateralism,” the opportunity for a sustainable deal will disappear.

Iran maintains it remains committed to balanced diplomacy but rejects what it sees as double standards from Western states. The foreign minister also criticized efforts to reimpose UN sanctions through the JCPOA’s snapback mechanism, calling them “legally and morally indefensible.”

Raouf Sheibani, Tehran’s envoy for West Asia, echoed these warnings in a separate interview, rejecting the August ultimatum from the E3 and U.S. to accept a revised nuclear deal. He warned that Iran may consider exiting the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) altogether if the snapback mechanism is triggered. Tehran has already expelled IAEA inspectors and suspended cooperation following recent Israeli and U.S. attacks on nuclear facilities.

Despite international pressure, Iranian officials insist that new sanctions will have little effect. “Iran has endured the harshest sanctions,” Sheibani said, warning the West that its current strategy “will not force Iran to retreat.”