The UN Security Council has reinstated sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program after Britain, France, and Germany accused Tehran of failing to comply with its commitments.
Britain, France and Germany asked the Security Council to re-impose the sanctions on Iran over accusations it had violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) deal reached in 2015 aimed stopping it developing a nuclear bomb.
The EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas said in a statement on Sunday that the UNSC “re-imposed all nuclear-related UN sanctions and restrictions against Iran” that had been terminated under Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), accusing Tehran of failing to fulfill its pledges.
“I have, together with the E3 and many international partners, had intensive diplomatic efforts with Iran ahead and during the 30-day timeframe” but unfortunately did not result in positive outcome, Kallas said.
Consequently, the European Union will now proceed to implement the re-imposition of all previously lifted UN and EU nuclear-related sanctions without delay, she added.
Iran’s foreign ministry on Sunday rejected the UN sanctions, and denounced Britain, France, Germany and the United States for “manipulating” the nuclear deal and UN Security Council Resolution 2231 to bring back restrictions.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects the claim of the three European countries and the United States regarding the return of previous resolutions” that ended under Resolution 2231 in 2015, the ministry said in a statement, according to Iranian semi-official agency IRNA.
“Any attempt to revive terminated resolutions is legally baseless, morally unacceptable and logically flawed,” the statement added.
The ministry stressed that Iran has “fulfilled its obligations under the nuclear agreement until 2019, and presented multiple initiatives to revive it”, However, all these efforts have “failed due to the lack of seriousness and bad faith on the part of the Western side”, it added.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X: “This evening, the UN triggered snapback sanctions on Iran. We commend France, Germany, and the United Kingdom on their decisiveness and resolve”. Six UN resolutions have been reactivated, “prohibiting Iranian nuclear enrichment and restoring restrictions on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and arms trade”, Rubio added.
On September 26, the Security Council rejected a last-ditch bid by Russia and China to delay the reimposition of the sanctions on Iran.
