The Security Council held a meeting to consider a resolution on extending the suspension of sanctions against Iran before the mechanism deadline ended, but failed to adopt a resolution that would grant Iran ongoing sanctions relief in accordance with the JCPOA.
Let’s take a quick look at what happened in the session.
Security Council members’ vote results
Opposition: US, UK, France, Greece, Denmark, Slovenia, Panama, Sierra Leone, Somalia
Benefits: China, Russia, Pakistan, Algeria
Abstaining: South Korea (President of the Council), Guyana
US status
The US representative on the Security Council argued that the US vote to suspend sanctions against Iran does not mean oppose the political process.
The US representative argued that President Donald Trump repeatedly emphasized America’s constant preparation for direct and scheduled consultations with Iran.
He argued that the international community should not accept Iran’s insufficient efforts regarding its nuclear file.
China’s status
The Chinese representative said Iran’s efforts should be recognized and sanctions should be suspended for another period.
He continued that the focus should be on creating political solutions to Iran’s nuclear issue and the conditions necessary for it.
The US must prepare basis for negotiations with Iran, the Chinese envoy said.
Russia’s position
Russia’s UN representative emphasized that the country that signed a nuclear deal with Iran has no right to revive UN sanctions on Tehran.
He added that the actions of the European triocas to restore sanctions against Iran have no legal status.
He emphasized that European countries are refusing to diplomatic paths on Iran’s nuclear program. There is no legal justification for the return of sanctions against Iran.
The Russian envoy also condemned the recovery of sanctions against Iran.
French status
The French representative argued that today’s meeting would allow for the implementation of the aforementioned resolution. Levelling the absurd claims, he said Iran enriched uranium to 48 times the level allowed.
The French envoy falsely argued that France and other European countries are fulfilling their legal commitments under the JCPOA, and has pledged to pursue a political solution to Iran’s nuclear file.
England position
The UK representative argued that Resolution 2231 allowed a re-challenge of sanctions against Iran, and that the European triocas had taken legal action to regain those sanctions.
On August 28, the European signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), informed the UN Security Council that it had invoked the so-called snapback mechanism, a 30-day process that would restore all non-sanctions against Iran.
Iran rejected illegal moves by Britain, France and Germany, taking into account the unilateral withdrawal of the US from the JCPOA and the European trio’s alliance with illegal sanctions against Iran rather than fulfilling its own commitment.
MNA/6594644