Iran Summons Ambassadors from London, Paris, and Berlin in Protest Against Reimposed Sanctions

Iran has summoned its ambassadors from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany to Tehran for consultations, protesting the reactivation of United Nations sanctions against it, deeming the move “illegal and contrary to international agreements.”

Iran’s state television reported: “Following the irresponsible action by the three European countries to reactivate previously rescinded UN Security Council resolutions, Iran’s ambassadors in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have been summoned to Tehran for consultations.”

The reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran has become all but certain after the Security Council voted against postponing the step, despite the International Atomic Energy Agency resuming inspections of Iranian nuclear sites.

In a last-ditch effort, the Council voted on Friday on a China-Russia draft resolution to extend the 2015 nuclear deal for an additional six months until April 18, 2026. However, the draft was rejected with 9 votes against, 4 in favor, and 2 abstentions.

Britain’s UN ambassador Barbara Woodward stated, “UN sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear proliferation will be reimposed by the end of this week,” while French ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont explained that “Iran insisted on its refusal and offered no tangible initiatives.”

Following the vote, the Security Council proceeds to activate the “snapback” mechanism to reinstate sanctions on Tehran, with the sanctions set to take effect by midnight Saturday-Sunday GMT.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi described the reimposition of sanctions as “legally void, politically reckless, and procedurally flawed,” asserting before the Security Council that Iran “will never succumb to pressure but only respond to respect,” adding that the international community faces a choice of “either escalation or diplomacy.”

Conversely, Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy called the proceedings “deception, lies, and an absurd charade,” affirming Moscow’s view that the sanctions are pointless and hinting that Russia will not comply with them.

This development fuels widespread debate over the future of the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), whose core provisions are set to expire in October 2025.