The US declared Saturday the re-imposition of biting UN sanctions on Iranthat were lifted as part of a 2015 nuclear accord struck with world powersin a process known as “snapback.”
“On August 20, the United States notified the President of the SecurityCouncil of Iran’s significant non-performance of its JCPOA commitments.This notification triggered the 30-day process leading to the snapback ofpreviously terminated UN sanctions, which became effective at 8pm EasternDaylight Time on September 19,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in astatement.
“This means that starting today, all of the provisions of UNSCRs 1696,1737, 1747, 1803, 1835, and 1929 that were terminated by UNSCR 2231 areback in effect. Furthermore, the measures contained in paragraphs 7, 8, and16 to 20 of UNSCR 2231 are now terminated,” said Pompeo.
The US’ declaration is being taken despite all other signatories to theJoint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) refusing to recognizeWashington’s ability to trigger snapbacks. A position also held by nearlyall members of the UN Security Council.
Trump’s 2018 decision to leave the JCPOA over objections from all the otherdeal’s participants has led to the near uniform position with the Councilthat the US lacks legal standing to trigger the re-imposition ofinternational sanctions.
The US maintains that as a signatory to the Security Council resolutionthat endorsed the deal it can still move to reimpose sanctions, a legaltheory rejected by even extremely close US allies.
Along with allies, US adversaries are now likely to simply ignore the USannouncement.
Pompeo said Washington will announce a range of additional measures tostrengthen implementation of UN sanctions in coming days and hold violatorsaccountable.
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“Our maximum pressure campaign on the Iranian regime will continue untilIran reaches a comprehensive agreement with us to rein in its proliferationthreats and stops spreading chaos, violence, and bloodshed,” said Pompeo.
Shortly after Pompeo visited the UN last month, in a move the US said wasdesigned to begin a 30-day deadline for sanctions to kick back in, formerUN Security Council President Triansyah Djani dismissed the move byWashington, citing a lack of consensus within the Council on the US’standing to trigger snapback.
“It is clear for me that there is one member that has a particular positionon the issues, while there are significant numbers of members who havecontesting views,” Djani, the council president for August, said afterbeing pressed to comment by Russian and Chinese ambassadors during avirtual council meeting.
“In my view there is no consensus in the council, thus the president is notin the position to take further action,” he added.
Gunter Sautter, Germany’s deputy envoy to the UN, welcomed Djani’s findingduring a virtual Security Council meeting, and slammed what he said was the”purported notification” delivered by Pompeo, calling it “in legal terms,null and void.”
That position has been adopted not only by Germany, but also France, UK,Russia, China and Iran. Anadolu Agency
