Twenty US Senators urge Europe to trigger snapback sanctions on Iran

Twenty US senators on Wednesday sponsored a resolution urging France, Germany and United Kingdom trigger the so-called "snapback" of United Nations on Iran as soon as possible.

The move comes a month after US and Israeli attacks targeted Iranian nuclear sites and before European and Iranian envoys are due to meet in Istanbul for nuclear talks on Friday.

“A window now exists to completely change the trajectory of the Middle East for the better, but that window will close unless we convince Iran that its nuclear weapons program will never be tolerated, period,” Senator Pete Ricketts said in a floor speech on Wednesday.

“That’s why this resolution urges the E3 (UK, Germany and France) to snapback sanctions as soon as possible. We must not let Iran off the hook,” Senator Ricketts, a Nebraska Republican, said.

Any party to a now lapsed 2015 nuclear agreement is entitled to file a complaint accusing Iran of non-compliance, renewing sanctions the deal had suspended.

Despite heavy blows suffered during the conflict, Iran has refused to relinquish enrichment and insists its nuclear program is a peaceful national achievement.

“In order to seize this moment, the US and our allies must impose maximum pressure to the highest extent possible to force Iran to agree to permanently and verifiably end its nuclear program, including its capacity to enrich,” Ricketts added.

Speaking to Iran International, co-sponsor of the resolution Senator Jim Risch said the lawmakers wanted the European countries to trigger snapback "immediately".

"It is obvious that the intent of the Iranian regime is to build a nuclear weapon. We cannot have that, that’s got to stop," the Idaho Republican said.

"The president has re-enacted the maximum pressure campaign that we have had on Iran. It worked in the past, it can work again and that is what we are going to pursue."