REUTERS, Dubai

Iran will react to any reimposition of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear programme, the country’s foreign ministry spokesperson said yesterday, without elaborating on what actions Tehran might take.

A French diplomatic source told Reuters last week that European powers would have to restore UN sanctions on Iran under the so-called “snapback mechanism” if there were no nuclear deal that guaranteed European security interests.

The “snapback mechanism” is a process that would reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran under a 2015 nuclear deal that lifted the measures in return for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme.

“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,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told a press conference, without giving further details.

The 2015 deal with Britain, Germany, France, the US, Russia and China - known as JCPOA - states that if the parties cannot resolve accusations of “significant non-performance” by Iran, the “snapback mechanism” process can be triggered by the 15-member UN Security Council.