Iranian media reported on Wednesday that Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, discussed in a phone call with British National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell the activation of nuclear negotiations and the settlement of the “snapback” mechanism.

Official Iranian television stated that “a phone conversation took place between the UK Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell and Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani, during which ways to activate nuclear negotiations and address the so-called ‘snapback’ mechanism were discussed, with an agreement to continue exchanging views on organizing nuclear issues through negotiations.”

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that the foreign ministers of France, Britain, Germany, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, held a phone call with him informing of their intention to activate the sanctions reinstatement mechanism.

A statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry explained that the European ministers informed “our Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a phone call, of their intention to officially notify the UN Security Council to trigger the mechanism to reimpose sanctions on Tehran, within the framework of the nuclear deal provisions.”

According to the statement, the ministers confirmed their readiness to work over the next 30 days to “find a diplomatic solution” to prevent the return of previous Security Council resolutions.

The “snapback” mechanism dates back to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group, which allowed lifting international sanctions in exchange for limiting Iran’s nuclear program.

This mechanism stipulates that if Iran breaches its commitments, any party to the agreement can reimpose UN sanctions within a short period. After the US withdrew from the deal in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term, controversy arose over the legitimacy of continuing to use this mechanism, while Tehran considers it legally invalid after that withdrawal.