European powers warned on Friday that time is running out for Iran to avert the re-imposition of United Nations sanctions over its stalled nuclear talks. Germany’s foreign minister said Berlin “remains committed to diplomacy, but time is very short and Iran needs to engage substantively,” while France’s foreign ministry cautioned that “the clock is ticking” for a negotiated solution. Diplomats from France, Germany and the United Kingdom—the E3 signatories of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action—have instructed their political directors to meet Iranian counterparts next week. A decision on whether to trigger the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2231 “snapback” mechanism could come within days, with people familiar with the process indicating that the move is now highly probable unless Iran changes course before the end-August deadline. The European pressure coincides with fresh U.S. sanctions unveiled on Thursday that target an alleged oil-smuggling network moving millions of barrels of Iranian crude through companies in Hong Kong, China, the UAE and the Marshall Islands. Washington says the measures aim to restrict Tehran’s ability to finance weapons programmes and regional proxies, further tightening the economic noose as diplomatic options narrow.