BBCNews.com reports: “The UK, France and Germany have told the UN they are ready to reimpose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme if it fails to resume talks by the end of August.

The three countries, known as the E3, said they were prepared to trigger a ‘snapback’ mechanism – meaning previous sanctions would be reinstated – unless Iran resumes negotiations.

The E3 said they had offered to extend a deadline for negotiations to the end of August, which they said Iran has not replied to.

Iranian lawmaker Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran’s parliament was ready to withdraw from a nuclear deal which restricted its nuclear programme if new sanctions were put in place, the Iranian Defa Press news agency reported.

The E3’s letter comes after initial talks between their delegations and Iranian diplomats took place in Istanbul, Turkey last month.

In the letter to the UN and its chief António Guterres, three foreign ministers – Jean-Noël Barrot from France, David Lammy from the UK and Johann Wadephul from Germany – said they would enforce severe sanctions on Iran unless it agrees to limit its nuclear programme…”