E3 cite their 'good faith efforts', Iranian non-compliance in UN letter

Three European powers which initiated a mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran on Thursday hope to conclude the 30-day process before Russia assumes in the presidency of the UN Security Council in October, Axios reported citing European diplomats.

Russia and Iran inked a strategic partnership agreement in January and Iranian-designed drones have been key to Moscow's war effort in Ukraine. Still, Russia provided little support to Iran in a 12-day war with Israel joined by the United States in June.

"The E3 leaders think that Iran has been for years in clear violation of its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal, with no concrete steps taken to remedy that situation," Axios cited a European diplomat as saying.

"Triggering the snapback process would not mean the end of diplomacy. The E3 remain open to engaging with Iran in the weeks until the UN sanctions will come into effect", the diplomat added.

"The E3 are committed to using every diplomatic tool available to ensure Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. That includes our decision to trigger the 'snapback' mechanism today through this notification," Britain, France and Germany said in their letter to the Un

"The E3's commitment to a diplomatic solution nonetheless remains steadfast. The E3 will fully make use of the 30-day period following the notification in order to resolve the issue giving rise to the notification," the letter added on Thursday according to Reuters.

Britain, France and Germany on Thursday triggered the so-called snapback mechanism, a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its disputed nuclear program, Reuters reported citing a document the trio sent to the UN Security Council.

The E3 said in the statement they had made the move before the expiry of their ability to do so in mid-October according to a timeline enshrined in a now mostly defunct 2015 nuclear deal.

Iran has warned of unspecified consequences if Europe made the move and has said the deal is no longer in effect and snapback cannot be invoked

A hardline Iranian lawmaker on Thursday said that inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are now barred from entering Iran under a new parliamentary law but also acknowledged that exceptions remain possible.

Ali Khazaei told reporters that “IAEA inspectors are banned from entering the country” and that the law is binding on the government. He accused the agency of passing classified nuclear information to Iran’s enemies and said enforcement of the law was essential to “preserving national authority.”

However, Khazaei also cited a clause in the law that allows inspections in “specific locations” if the Supreme National Security Council approves and protective protocols are observed.

“The direct damage is now estimated at no less than NIS 4 billion ($1.1 billion), and the indirect damage, which has yet to be calculated, will amount to several billion more,” Tax Authority Director Shay Aharonovich said.

Major institutions, including the Weizmann Institute of Science and Soroka Medical Center, suffered heavy losses, while many businesses were forced into prolonged shutdowns, he added.

Israel launched the 12-day air campaign against Iran in June, with brief support from the United States, targeting nuclear sites and killing senior military officials and nuclear scientists. The strikes crippled much of Iran’s air defense network and damaged a significant portion of its ballistic missile arsenal, Israel said.

Property losses made up the bulk of claims. Of 41,962 filings for damaged structures, 36,928 involved private residences, with hundreds of homes completely destroyed.

The state will have to fund alternative housing for displaced families until rebuilding can be completed, a process expected to take months if not years, officials said.

The commercial sector was also hit hard. Businesses filed 5,108 claims, including hundreds of shops and offices destroyed beyond repair. Vehicle damage reached unprecedented levels, with at least 5,400 cars damaged or destroyed.

9,803 claims were submitted through a fast-track process, while 28,129 direct-damage claims were processed within two months, according to the authority.

So far, the Property Tax Compensation Fund has paid out NIS 1.6 billion ($430 million) for direct damages.

Claims for indirect losses, such as business interruptions, nearly doubled direct claims, reaching 98,569 in just under two weeks of fighting. About 60,000 of these have already been processed, with NIS 1 billion ($270 million) in partial compensation paid.

Officials cautioned that the final tally—factoring in both direct and indirect damages—will end up several times higher than the current estimates, underscoring the unprecedented financial cost of Operation Rising Lion.