By Michelle Nichols

People walk past a mural depicting the late leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a building in a street in Tehran, Iran, October 7, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) – Iran and European powers remain at loggerheads as they try to strike a last-ditch deal to avert the return of before Saturday evening.

Britain, France and Germany launched a 30-day process on August 28 to reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

The trio, known as the E3, has taken the step over accusations Iran has failed to abide by a 2015 deal with world powers that aimed to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

WHAT IS THE 2015 IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL?

Many countries have suspected Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, which Iran denies.

Iran reached a deal in 2015 with Britain, Germany, France, the U.S., Russia, and China – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – that lifted U.N., U.S. and European sanctions on Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear program.

The U.N. Security Council enshrined the deal in a resolution in July 2015. That resolution – and the ability of any parties to the nuclear deal to trigger a “snapback” of sanctions on Iran – is due to expire on October 18.

WHAT IS SNAPBACK?

Under the 2015 agreement, there is a process known as snapback that would reimpose U.N. sanctions on Iran.

If the parties cannot resolve accusations of “significant non-performance” by Iran, this process can be triggered at the 15-member U.N. Security Council.

As part of the process, the Security Council had to vote within 30 days on a resolution to continue Iran’s sanctions relief, requiring at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Russia, China, Britain, or France to pass.

It voted on such a resolution , opens new tab on September 19, but it failed to pass. Russia, China, Pakistan and Algeria voted in favor of the draft text. Nine members voted against and two abstained.

All U.N. sanctions on Iran will be reimposed at 8pm EDT/0000 GMT on Saturday unless the Security Council takes other action.

WHAT SANCTIONS WOULD BE REIMPOSED?

Under snapback, measures imposed by the Security Council on Iran in six resolutions from 2006 to 2010 will be restored.

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