Europe powers move to reimpose Iran sanctions over nuclear drive

France, Britain and Germany on Thursday triggered a mechanism to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with commitments over its nuclear programme it agreed to a decade ago.

Iran warned that it would “respond appropriately” to the move, which risks drawing a curtain on the most sustained diplomatic push for a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis.

The United States welcomed the step, while emphasising it was ready for “direct engagement” with the Islamic…