Iran deadline pressure is mounting as the Trump administration and European allies give Tehran until the end of August to accept a nuclear deal—or face severe consequences. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, set the ultimatum during a call Wednesday, sources confirmed.
If Iran fails to comply, the “snapback” mechanism will automatically reinstate all United Nations sanctions lifted under the flawed 2015 nuclear agreement. The Trump administration already used targeted strikes in June to push Tehran toward compliance.
United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), a leading nonprofit opposed to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, supported the move. “Tehran has learned that, for the Trump administration, a deadline means a deadline,” said UANI Chairman Jeb Bush and CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace in a joint statement. “Consequently, Tehran should take this new deadline seriously.”
Monday saw Iran threaten retaliation if snapback sanctions are imposed. “The threat to use the snapback mechanism lacks legal and political basis and will be met with an appropriate and proportionate response from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei. He declined to explain how Iran would retaliate.
President Trump’s pressure campaign against Iran’s regime appears to be reaching a decisive moment. As Bush and Wallace made clear, “After failing to agree to a deal within 60 days of diplomacy, the United States and Israel undertook targeted military action.”
