An analyst warns that if Europe applies the snapback mechanism to Iran, it could trigger Chinese sanctions against the troika’s financial institutions.

In an interview with HispanTV on Sunday , political scientist Dr. Bruno Lima Rocha, from Rio de Janeiro, predicted China’s possible reaction if the European troika [Germany, France, and the United Kingdom] implements the “snapback” mechanism for Iran.

Snapback is a rapid reversal mechanism incorporated into Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the nuclear deal or JCPOA. It allows any party to the agreement to trigger a process that restores all previous UN sanctions against Iran—which were lifted under the agreement—if Iran is deemed to have “significantly” breached its obligations.

“More financial institutions are going to face problems, sanctions, and partial bans when doing business with the Chinese economy, which ultimately accounts for a quarter of the global maritime trade market ,” the expert predicted.

In short, the interviewee asserts that the application of the snapback to Iran will be a significant blow to the EU.

China reaffirmed its commitment to peacefully resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means and spoke out against invoking Security Council snapback sanctions.

According to Beijing, resorting to this measure would not build trust or resolve differences between the parties, and would hinder diplomatic efforts to quickly resume negotiations.

China’s support plays a key role in Iran’s diplomatic efforts to counter the snapback threat, given that as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, it has veto power over resolutions, including those related to Iran’s nuclear program.