Iran’s Nuclear Deal Terminated: Tehran Defies West, Signals War Fears as JCPOA Ends

Iran declared the official termination of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 nuclear agreement designed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, marking a critical juncture in global non-proliferation efforts. The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that “all provisions, including restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program and related mechanisms, are considered terminated,” while emphasizing Tehran’s commitment to diplomatic solutions. Signed in Vienna by Iran, the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, UK, US, Germany), and the EU, the JCPOA aimed to ease decades of tensions but has been unraveling since 2018.

The deal’s collapse began when former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018, reinstating sanctions against European allies’ wishes, influenced by Israel’s opposition. Iran responded by ramping up uranium enrichment, reaching near-weapons-grade levels. Efforts to revive the agreement faltered, with June 2025’s US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian facilities further dimming prospects.

Iran’s parliament then barred cooperation with the IAEA, prompting Britain, France, and Germany (E3) to trigger the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism in September, reimposing UN sanctions on Iran’s nuclear, arms, and financial sectors, rendering today’s “termination day”—aligned with UN Resolution 2231’s 10-year mark—largely symbolic.

Despite the breakdown, diplomatic overtures persist. The E3 vowed to pursue a “comprehensive, durable, and verifiable agreement,” and EU diplomat Kaja Kallas stressed that sanctions “must not be the end of diplomacy.” President Trump, in his second term, floated a peace deal, while Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi signaled openness to US talks, contingent on guarantees against military action.

However, Araghchi dismissed European negotiations post-snapback, and Omani-brokered talks this year failed. Western and Israeli claims of Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, which Tehran denies as civilian-focused, continue to fuel mistrust.

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As Iran prepares to address the UN in New York later today, the end of the JCPOA heightens global anxieties. With sanctions reinstated and Iran’s nuclear activities advancing, the international community faces a precarious moment, urging renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation in an already volatile Middle East.

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