The United Nations Security Council will vote on Friday on reimposing deep economic sanctions on Iran over its resurgent nuclear program.
Britain, France and Germany — signatories to a 2015 deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) intended to stop Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons — allege that Iran has broken its promises under the treaty.
Diplomatic sources said the resolution before the Security Council was unlikely to get the nine votes needed to uphold the status quo — in which sanctions remain lifted — meaning the punishment would be reimposed.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday he had put forward a “fair and balanced” proposal to European powers to prevent the return of sanctions.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
However, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he expected international sanctions to be reinstated by the end of the month, as reported in an excerpt from an Israeli television interview broadcast.
In a letter to the UN in mid-August, the “European Three” slammed Iran as having breached several of its commitments under the JCPOA, including building up a uranium stock to more than 40 times the level permitted under the deal.
Despite a flurry of diplomatic talks between the European powers and Tehran, the Western trio insisted there was no concrete progress.
Russia and China, which oppose the so-called “snapback” of sanctions, would need to secure nine votes from the 15 members of the Council — which diplomatic sources say may prove impossible.
“Algeria and Pakistan may support Russia and China in backing the resolution, but I think other members are likely to oppose it or abstain, so the Europeans and US will not have to use their veto,” said International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan.
The UN’s annual high-level meeting, which Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will attend, could present opportunities for last-ditch negotiations.
“The Council still has time to greenlight a further resolution extending the suspension of sanctions — if Iran and the Europeans reach a last-minute bargain,” Gowan said.
2015 deal in tatters
The hard-won 2015 deal has been left in tatters since the United States walked away from it in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first presidency, and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
Western powers and Israel have long accused Tehran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a claim Iran denies.
Following the US withdrawal, Tehran gradually broke away from its commitments under the agreement. It began stepping up its nuclear activities, with tensions high since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
The war also derailed Tehran’s nuclear negotiations with the United States and prompted Iran to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with inspectors of the Vienna-based UN body leaving the Middle Eastern country shortly after.
Iran late Thursday withdrew a draft resolution at the IAEA that called to ban attacks against nuclear facilities after its war with Israel, citing US pressure.
In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, starting the war that saw Israeli and US strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.
During his previous term, Trump attempted to trigger the JCPOA’s so-called “snapback clause” to reimpose sanctions on Iran in 2020, but failed due to his country’s unilateral withdrawal from the deal two years earlier.
While European powers have for years launched repeated efforts to revive the 2015 deal through negotiations and said they have “unambiguous legal grounds” to trigger the clause, Iran does not share their view.
Iran has threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the snapback is triggered.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
The United Nations Security Council will vote on Friday on reimposing deep economic sanctions on Iran over its resurgent nuclear program.
Britain, France and Germany — signatories to a 2015 deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) intended to stop Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons — allege that Iran has broken its promises under the treaty.
Diplomatic sources said the resolution before the Security Council was unlikely to get the nine votes needed to uphold the status quo — in which sanctions remain lifted — meaning the punishment would be reimposed.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday he had put forward a “fair and balanced” proposal to European powers to prevent the return of sanctions.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
However, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that he expected international sanctions to be reinstated by the end of the month, as reported in an excerpt from an Israeli television interview broadcast.
In a letter to the UN in mid-August, the “European Three” slammed Iran as having breached several of its commitments under the JCPOA, including building up a uranium stock to more than 40 times the level permitted under the deal.
Despite a flurry of diplomatic talks between the European powers and Tehran, the Western trio insisted there was no concrete progress.
Russia and China, which oppose the so-called “snapback” of sanctions, would need to secure nine votes from the 15 members of the Council — which diplomatic sources say may prove impossible.
“Algeria and Pakistan may support Russia and China in backing the resolution, but I think other members are likely to oppose it or abstain, so the Europeans and US will not have to use their veto,” said International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan.
The UN’s annual high-level meeting, which Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will attend, could present opportunities for last-ditch negotiations.
“The Council still has time to greenlight a further resolution extending the suspension of sanctions — if Iran and the Europeans reach a last-minute bargain,” Gowan said.
2015 deal in tatters
The hard-won 2015 deal has been left in tatters since the United States walked away from it in 2018, during Donald Trump’s first presidency, and reimposed sanctions on Iran.
Western powers and Israel have long accused Tehran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, a claim Iran denies.
Following the US withdrawal, Tehran gradually broke away from its commitments under the agreement. It began stepping up its nuclear activities, with tensions high since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter
The war also derailed Tehran’s nuclear negotiations with the United States and prompted Iran to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with inspectors of the Vienna-based UN body leaving the Middle Eastern country shortly after.
Iran late Thursday withdrew a draft resolution at the IAEA that called to ban attacks against nuclear facilities after its war with Israel, citing US pressure.
In mid-June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, starting the war that saw Israeli and US strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities.
During his previous term, Trump attempted to trigger the JCPOA’s so-called “snapback clause” to reimpose sanctions on Iran in 2020, but failed due to his country’s unilateral withdrawal from the deal two years earlier.
While European powers have for years launched repeated efforts to revive the 2015 deal through negotiations and said they have “unambiguous legal grounds” to trigger the clause, Iran does not share their view.
Iran has threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the snapback is triggered.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
By AFP