Iranian negotiator doesn't rule out exiting nuclear treaty if sanctions are reimposed

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A top Iranian official warned Wednesday that European threats to reimpose sanctions could lead Iran to withdraw from an international pact that limits the spread of nuclear weapons, one of the last remaining safeguards against the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi discussed with reporters his country's recourse against further financial punishment ahead of a critical meeting Friday with Britain, France and Germany.

The talks between Iran and some of the remaining members of the 2015 nuclear deal, which the U.S. withdrew from in President Donald Trump's first term, are expected to take place in Istanbul.

The three European countries have suggested triggering a so-called snapback provision in that accord that would reimpose sanctions on Iran if there is no progress on a deal to limit its nuclear program by August. The 2015 deal had eased economic penalties on Iran in exchange for restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program, which Iran has insisted is peaceful.

Gharibabadi, who has been part of the nuclear negotiation team, said that despite domestic pressure to withdraw from the separate, older Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, especially in the aftermath of the recent Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites, Iran has remained compliant with the 1970 treaty.

“But, I’m quite confident that if the snapback is triggered, Iran will not show more restraint in this regard,” Gharibabadi said.

If Iran does exit the treaty, it will be just the second country to do so, after North Korea in 2003, whose withdrawal has never been formally accepted.

The warning from Iran comes as the Trump administration is once again seeking to reach a deal with Tehran on its nuclear program. The two sides had held several rounds of talks before Israel staged a surprise attack in June. Iran has indicated an openness to restart negotiations with the U.S., with Gharibabadi saying Wednesday that “the sooner, the better.”

But he issued a stern warning to the Americans before they engage in a sixth round of talks: Do not use the guise of diplomacy as cover for another military attack on Iran, referencing the scheduled plans for U.S.-Iran talks days before Israel decided to issue its first airstrikes on Tehran.

“Shall we have confidence and trust in the United States again? They should gain the confidence of Iran and come with honesty to the table of negotiations in this regard,” Gharibabadi said.

As for talks with the Europeans, Gharibabadi and Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, have remained optimistic that the triggering of sanctions and withdrawal from the treaty can be avoided with “diplomacy and negotiation.”

Gharibabadi said Friday's meeting is very important, but that its success will depend on how the Europeans approach Iran this time around.

“We have always valued our meetings with the European countries. But there is an important issue: I think we have always told them that the policies of the European countries should be independent,” he said. “They should not coordinate their positions with the Americans.”

He added, “If this is the case, why should we negotiate with the Europeans when we can negotiate with the Americans?”

Iranian officials, including Gharibabadi, said they are open to proposals on how to prevent further sanctions and “prevent a more complicated situation.”

In another sign of Iran’s willingness, Gharibabadi also shared that a delegation of IAEA technical inspectors is expected to arrive in a “few weeks,” marking the first time any members of the international inspection team have been allowed back in since the Israel-Iran war.

The delegation will not be allowed to visit the nuclear sites, he added, saying that this will be a meeting to discuss what access, if any, Iran will allow the IAEA after what it sees as a betrayal committed against them by the agency's leaders. The IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks in a meeting with Tehran-based foreign diplomats, Iran, Saturday, July 12, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry, Hamid Forootan via AP)

FILE - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, from left, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, meet with reporters after their meeting at Diaoyutai State Guest House March 14, 2025, in Beijing. (Lintao Zhang/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Ian's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, waits for the start of the IAEA board of governors meeting at the International Center in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak, File)

In this photo released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks in a meeting with Tehran-based foreign diplomats, Iran, Saturday, July 12, 2025. (Iranian Foreign Ministry, Hamid Forootan via AP)

After a frenetic few months of congressional redistricting efforts, President Donald Trump’s plan to reshape voting districts for partisan advantage ahead of this year’s midterm elections stands at an important juncture.

Will Republican- and Democratic-led states ramp up their remapping of U.S. House districts as new legislative sessions get underway? Or will the mid-decade redistricting frenzy fade away following Indiana’s resounding rejection of Trump’s pressure-packaged campaign?

“We’re at a crossroads to see if the mid-decade redistricting movement gains more speed or was simply an attempt by Donald Trump to impact elections that in many states fizzled,” said Jeffrey Wice, director of the Elections, Census and Redistricting Institute at New York Law School.

Virginia and Florida are two key states to watch. Democrats who lead Virginia and Republicans who lead Florida could try to swing multiple seats in their party’s favor by an aggressive redistricting. Virginia’s legislative session begins Wednesday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to call a special session in April on congressional redistricting.

What happens next in Democratic-led Illinois and Maryland and in Kansas' Republican-led Legislature also could affect the GOP’s ability to maintain a narrow House majority in the face of political headwinds that typically favor the party out of power in midterm elections. Key lawmakers in all three of those states remain opposed to redistricting.

Trump kick-started an unusual redistricting plan in July by calling on Texas Republicans to redraw their congressional map to create more favorable districts for the party — even though there was no new census data to base it upon. That triggered a mid-decade redistricting battle the likes of which has not been common since the late 1800s.

Texas, Missouri and North Carolina all approved new Republican-friendly House districts. Ohio, which had to redistrict because of its state constitution, used the opportunity to enact a more favorable House map for Republicans.

But Ohio’s action on Oct. 31 marked a turning point. That same day, Virginia’s Democratic-led legislature took a first step toward redistricting. Then in November, California voters approved new House districts helping Democrats, Kansas Republicans dropped plans for a special session on redistricting, and a Utah judge adopted a new House map that benefits Democrats.

Trump suffered a stunning setback Dec. 11, when Indiana’s Republican-led Senate defeated a redistricting plan that could have helped the GOP win all nine of the state’s U.S. House seats, up from their current seven.

The net result from the 2025 jockeying could be three additional seats for Republicans. But even that is in question, because legal challenges remain in some states, and there is no guarantee that parties will win the districts they redrew.

When the Virginia General Assembly begins its annual session, the agenda will include a proposed constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade redistricting in response to other states.

The amendment, which received first-round approval in the fall, would also need to pass a statewide vote before the new districts could be implemented. Quick action would be necessary to get all that accomplished in time for candidates to run in redrawn districts later this year.

Democrats, who currently hold six of the state’s 11 U.S. House seats, have not unveiled what those new districts would look like. But some have talked of trying to gain as many as four additional seats.

Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has embraced the redistricting effort but has not committed to a particular plan.

“I will look at any map that is kind of reasonable and keeping communities compact and together,” Spanberger, a Democrat, told The Associated Press. “But ultimately, it’s up to the people of Virginia to choose whether or not to move forward with the referendum.”

Republicans currently hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. That advantage could grow if districts are reshaped during a special session.

Although Florida’s regular legislative session starts Tuesday, DeSantis said he is waiting until April to call a special redistricting session to allow time for a possible U.S. Supreme Court ruling on a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act. If the court rules in a Louisiana case that race cannot be the predominant factor in creating voting districts, it could open the way for several Republican-led states to redraw districts represented by Black or Hispanic lawmakers who are Democrats.

DeSantis said the high court's ruling could affect “at least one or two” Florida districts.

But any redistricting that aids Republicans could face a court challenge. A voter-approved Florida constitutional provision prohibits drawing district boundaries to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent.

Some Democrats seeking to counter Trump have urged lawmakers in Illinois and Maryland to redraw their already heavily Democratic districts to try to gain one additional seat in each state. But the plans appear to lack traction as legislative sessions begin this week in both states.

Illinois House Speaker Pro Tem Kam Buckner said “there is no active push” for congressional redistricting.

“There is no appetite to reopen something that will consume enormous time, energy and, frankly, political capital without a compelling justification,” Buckner, a Democrat, told the AP.

Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has created a special commission to recommend a new congressional map. But Democratic Senate President Bill Ferguson remains opposed and insists that a majority of residents also do not want new districts.

In Kansas, some Republicans want to redraw U.S. House districts to try to gain an additional seat. But House Republicans have failed to gain the two-thirds support needed to override a likely veto by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins told reporters that he has no plans to hold a vote on congressional redistricting during the annual legislative session that starts Monday.

“I do not have the votes,” Hawkins said.

Associated Press reporters Olivia Diaz, John Hanna, Mike Schneider and Brian Witte contributed to this story.

President Donald Trump points to the crowd as he walks off stage after speaking to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

FILE - Opponents of Missouri's Republican-backed congressional redistricting plan display a banner in protest at the State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri, Sept. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb, File)

FILE - ndiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith announces the results of a vote to redistrict the state's congressional map, Dec. 11, 2025, at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

FILE - This photo taken from video shows organizers rallying outside of the Ohio Statehouse to protest gerrymandering and advocate for lawmakers to draw fair maps in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos, File)