Mikhail Ulinov, the permanent representative of Russia’s Vienna international organization, made a speech in an exclusive interview with Press TV on Sunday, discussing the IAEA committee meeting in Vienna, focusing on Iran’s nuclear program and recent snapback sanctions.
“It was not occasionally that snapback mechanisms were launched by three European states where snapback mechanisms continue to be participants in the JCPOA. They have no legal, procedural or moral rights as they are violators,” the Russian diplomat said.
“They violated the JCPOA very substantially, resolution 2231, and according to the legal opinion of the International Court of Justice in 1971, if a party violates an agreement, they have no right to refer to the same agreement to condemn another counterpart,” he added.
Ulyanov pointed out that the European trio and the US are actively contributing to the politicization of IAEA activities, citing examples of agents and Iranian secretariats engaged in discussions about potential future institutional activities.
This pattern of behavior by European countries has led to repeated confusion in the realm of Iran’s nuclear documents, he said, describing it as “irrational and inexplicable.”
“Europeans create problems in the realms related to Iran’s nuclear documents over and over. It’s very unreasonable. It’s very strange. There’s no plausible explanation, but this is a real problem,” he said.
According to Ulyanov, discussions within the IAEA’s governors’ committee increasingly take over its politicized nature, particularly with regard to Iran, evolve beyond technical issues and intertwines with political considerations.
Additionally, Russian officials stressed that there is no involvement in Washington’s snapback process as President Donald Trump withdraws from nuclear deals.
He also emphasized that France, Germany and the UK do not have “legal, procedural or moral rights” that trigger a snapback mechanism because they are “violators.”
Ulyanov further notes that E3 had a major breach of JCPOA and Resolution 2231, and, according to the 1971 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion, parties violating the contract will tolerate the right to confiscate the right to refer to the same agreement.
He also raised concerns about the western exit strategy following the implementation of the snapback mechanism and re-challenges of all UN Security Council sanctions by the end of September, highlighting Russia’s preference for diplomatic solutions and collective discussions involving all JCPOA participants.
Ulyanov also emphasized that Russia and China are working together on resolutions to extend Resolution 2231 and JCPOA for six months to provide more time for diplomatic efforts without resorting to snapbacks.
He further warned of the potential negative consequences of Iran’s withdrawal from the NPT, highlighting the extensive testing conducted within the country as one of the most tested countries.
Ulyanov agreed to the assessment that nuclear issues are being used as geopolitical tools to contain Iran, Russia and China.
The top Russian envoy also commented on the increasing politicization and conflict within international organizations such as the UN and the IAEA, noting the departures from previous cooperation and consensus.
He also expressed regret over the erosion of the consensus “Viennese spirit” in international organizations due to geopolitical tensions, pointing to Russia’s efforts to offset Western control in multilateral forums.
MNA/Press TV