Iran Dismisses ’Snapback’ Vote as Legally Void

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi asserts that the European trio of the UK, France, and Germany’s efforts at reviving the UN Security Council’s sanctions against Iran are “null and void” and carry no legal force.

The top diplomat made the remarks on Friday, addressing the Security Council after a vote on whether to activate the so-called “snapback” mechanism inside a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and others that would return the bans.

The United States and its allies, including the troika, vetoed a draft resolution on the matter as a means of trying to trigger restoration of the sanctions by the weekend.

Araghchi noted how the Islamic Republic had invariably acted in full compliance of the nuclear deal, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the NPT’s Safeguards Agreement as verified by 15 International Atomic Energy Agency reports.

The compliance, he stated, has rendered all attempts at tarnishing Iran’s peaceful nuclear energy program illegal.

The foreign minister also reminded that the US and the trio have been trying hard to bring pressure to bear on Iran over their false allegations concerning the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, despite their own numerous violations of either the nuclear accord or the international law to target the country.

He cited the US’s illegal and unilateral withdrawal from the deal in 2018, the E3’s breaking its promise of returning Washington to the accord, and the unlawful and unprovoked American attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June as some examples.

Accordingly, Araghchi described the push to return the Security Council’s sanctions as a “stark abuse of power.”

The Friday vetoes, cast in this context, are likewise “legally void, politically reckless, and procedurally flawed,” he added.

Additionally, the official underlined that October 18 would mark the automatic “Termination Day” under Resolution 2231, which has endorsed the nuclear agreement.

All nuclear-related restrictions “will end permanently” on that day, he added.

Araghchi, hence, called on the UN secretary-general “to avoid any attempt to revive sanctions-related mechanisms within the Secretariat.”

The official denounced the US’s actions for “betraying diplomacy,” but called the E3 the actual side responsible for “burying it.”

Araghchi also condemned the Western allies for misrepresenting Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and echoing the "Israeli" entity's baseless allegations.

He denounced the American attacks on the nuclear sites that took place to boost "Israeli" aggression against Iran, despite the Islamic Republic’s openness to diplomacy, as an instance where the country’s pursuit of diplomacy had been “met with aggression.”

The West’s actions “obliterated whatever remaining trust” of the Iranian people, he said, urging the Western allies to correct course.

The foreign minister underscored that “Iran will never respond to threats or pressure. We respond only to respect.”

Addressing reporters following the vote, Araghchi said diplomacy “never dies,” but “has become more difficult” in light of the hostile actions taken against the Islamic Republic.

The official pointed to the drawn-out history of the Islamic Republic’s being betrayed by the US, despite giving diplomacy a chance.

“We have had very bad experiences negotiating with the US, and there is no reason to trust America.”

Araghchi cited Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei as describing negotiations with Washington as a complete dead end.

The Leader “was entirely correct in saying so,” he stated.

The official, meanwhile, praised the countries that had voted in favor of extension of sanction relief – China, Russia, Pakistan, and Algeria – for their “choosing the right side of history” by keeping the door to dialogue open.