Iran: Reactivation of Expired UN Sanctions By US, Europeans Illegal

By Staff, Agencies 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has criticized the United States and three European nations for attempting to leverage the snapback mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal to reimpose expired United Nations sanctions against Tehran.

Araghchi's remarks came during a meeting on Monday with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, where he called the reactivation of sanctions "an unprecedented blow to diplomacy" and indicative of a lack of goodwill from the involved nations.

The Iranian foreign minister condemned the actions of the US and the European powers, saying “they are unjustified and illegal.”

He emphasized that all restrictions against Iran's peaceful nuclear program, established under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, were set to expire on October 18.

On September 19, the 15-member Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have prevented the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran after the E3 triggered the "snapback" mechanism and accused Tehran of failing to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA].

A subsequent resolution, which sought to grant a six-month extension to both the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, also failed to pass at the Security Council on Friday.

The Council restored the bans on Sunday at 0000 GMT. They will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with the Islamic Republic and target the country’s defensive missile program.

Last month, the E3 invoked the so-called snapback mechanism, a 30-day process to restore all anti-Iran sanctions.

Iran rejected the move as illegitimate, citing the US’ unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA and the European trio’s decision to align with unlawful sanctions rather than fulfilling their JCPOA obligations.

Iran says the Security Council’s failure to endorse a draft resolution on extending Resolution 2231 is a clear manifestation of the so-called rules-based order.

Highlighting recent tensions, Araghchi criticized the US and Israeli military aggression against Iran's territorial integrity and nuclear facilities, describing it as a direct betrayal of diplomatic efforts and a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter.

He pointed to “Israeli” and US aggression against Iran in June, where foreign attacks on Iran's nuclear sites occurred amidst ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

“The illegal assault on our peaceful nuclear facilities is a gross violation of international norms and demands accountability for the aggressors,” he stated.

Addressing the UN's role, Araghchi underscored that the organization and its secretary general bear a significant responsibility for upholding the principles and objectives of the UN Charter.

He also called attention to repeated violations of the Headquarters Agreement by the US, which affects Iranian delegations and diplomats in New York, urging Guterres to take appropriate action.