Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, emphasised on Sunday that widespread sanctions against Iran’s nuclear programme should not mark the end of diplomatic efforts with the Islamic Republic.
Why did the UN reinstate sanctions against Iran now?How is the European Union addressing nuclear concerns?
For the first time in ten years, broad UN sanctions against Iran have been reinstated after nuclear negotiations with Western powers ended without a breakthrough.
In a statement on X, the EU foreign policy chief said that while the bloc will follow the United Nations in reimposing sanctions,
“a sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiations.”
The UN reimposed sanctions on Iran early Sunday over its nuclear programme. The EU will follow.
This must not be the end of diplomacy with Iran.
A sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiations.
Statement↓https://t.co/ah58A22ng4
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) September 28, 2025
Why did the UN reinstate sanctions against Iran now?
The sanctions, enacted late Saturday and three months after Israel and the US targeted Iran with bombings, prohibit transactions related to Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and are also likely to impact its struggling economy.
France, Germany, and the UK triggered a snapback over Iran 30 days ago due to increased restrictions on monitoring its nuclear program and the deadlock in negotiations with the U.S.
The sanctions are a “snapback” of measures that were frozen in 2015 when Iran agreed to significant restrictions on its nuclear program under an agreement negotiated by former US President Barack Obama.
The foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to pursue “a new diplomatic solution to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.”
How is the European Union addressing nuclear concerns?
The European Union have always conveyed grave apprehension with regard to Iran’s nuclear program, stressing the need for a diplomatic effort and hope that Iran would comply with international safeguards.
As of 2025, the European Union’s approach to Iran’s nuclear program is to ensure that Iran is fully compliant with its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and with its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In June 2025, at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Special Board of Governors meeting, the EU restated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is a significant security concern through diplomatic channels. The EU reiterated earlier calls for all parties to de-escalate tensions representative of international relations and to begin the path towards security through diplomacy.
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