WASHINGTON 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday welcomed the decision by France, Germany, and the UK to trigger the “snapback” mechanism that could reinstate international sanctions on Iran, but said Washington remains available for "direct engagement" with Tehran.

“This morning, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom initiated a process under UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran,” Rubio said in a statement.

He said the three European countries, known as the E3, presented a “clear case” of Iran’s continuing “significant non-performance” of its nuclear commitments, adding that their decision established a strong basis for initiating snapback.

Rubio noted that the E3 could have acted since 2019 but opted to pursue diplomatic engagement first to give Iran “a diplomatic offramp from its strategy of nuclear escalation.”

“The United States appreciates the leadership of our E3 allies in this effort. Over the coming weeks, we will work with them and other members of the UN Security Council to successfully complete the snapback of international sanctions and restrictions on Iran,” he said.

“At the same time, the United States remains available for direct engagement with Iran – in furtherance of a peaceful, enduring resolution to the Iran nuclear issue. Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it,” Rubio said.

“Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it,” he said, urging Iran to take steps to ensure it will never “obtain a nuclear weapon.”

The E3 announced earlier Thursday they had notified the Security Council of Iran’s “significant non-performance” under the 2015 nuclear deal, triggering a 30-day period before the possible reestablishment of previously terminated UN Security Council resolutions.

The European countries have urged Iran to resume negotiations with the US over its nuclear program and allow international inspectors to monitor sites and stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.

The US quit the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 and re-imposed its own sanctions on Iran.

Earlier this year it entered in indirect nuclear talks with Iran, but Israel attacked Iran in June and the sixth round in Muscat, Oman was canceled.

The 12-day war also saw the US bombing three Iranian nuclear sites.

The US has maintained that Iran must give up its nuclear program, but Tehran argues its program is for civilian purposes only.