SAEDNEWS: In an exclusive interview, Dr Shahram Fattahi argues that embedding the “snapback” mechanism in the nuclear deal was a strategic blunder, leaving Iran diplomatically neutered and at the mercy of Western allies who remain tethered to Israel.
According to Saed News, Dr Shahram Fattahi, a professor of international relations at Azad University, warns that the inclusion of the snapback, or “instant re‑imposition” clause, in the 2015 nuclear accord has proved tantamount to hanging a sword of Damocles over Tehran. He contends that, by granting any signatory—apart from the United States, which withdrew in 2018—the unilateral right to trigger UN sanctions, the deal consigns Iran to perpetual diplomatic inferiority.
Fattahi highlights two fatal flaws. First, snapback bypasses customary Security Council voting, stripping Russia and China of their veto power despite their historical support for the original resolutions. Second, Iran lacks any counter‑balance: once a snapback request is tabled, both procedural and political tools to resist its activation are curtailed. “We find ourselves in minute 90 of the game with no means to parry,” he laments.
The scholar further links this design failure to broader strategic dynamics, citing the recent 12‑day conflict in which, he argues, Israel operated unchecked under the cover of Western acquiescence. Fattahi cautions that continued reliance on the existing deal will only embolden adversaries.
Looking ahead, he urges negotiators—led by Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—to leverage Beijing and Moscow more assertively, forging a new diplomatic axis that neither the JCPOA nor Western “imperial” demands can unilaterally dictate. Above all, he insists, Iran must marshal its domestic unity as the indispensable currency in any future agreement’s recalibration.
