US, European allies set August deadline for Iran nuclear deal talks: Report

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the UK have agreed in a phone call to set the end of August as the de facto deadline for securing a renewed nuclear deal with Iran, Axios reported, citing three diplomatic sources.

The decision marks a critical juncture in long-stalled talks aimed at preventing Iran from advancing its nuclear capabilities unchecked. “If no deal is reached by the deadline, the European trio plans to trigger the “snapback” mechanism — a clause in the original 2015 nuclear agreement that would automatically reinstate all previously lifted UN Security Council sanctions on Tehran, Axios reported.

“The clock is ticking. This is a final opportunity for Iran to demonstrate good faith before the international community responds decisively,” one European diplomat familiar with the talks told Axios.

The snapback provision itself expires in October. Since the reimposition process takes 30 days to complete, officials aim to finalise the decision before Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council that same month — a move that could complicate enforcement.

According to Axios, European officials plan to engage Iran intensively in the coming weeks, making it clear that the only path to avoiding renewed sanctions is full transparency and meaningful reassurances about the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.

“Snapback isn’t just a threat — it’s a tool to bring Iran back to the table and keep the global community safe,” said a senior US official, who described the mechanism as both leverage and a last resort.

While Iran has not formally responded to the new deadline, Western officials hope the pressure will prompt cooperation and avert escalation.

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With inputs from Reuters

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