Iran reacts to 'unlawful' move by UK, France, and Germany

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has reacted sharply to the application by the UK, France, and Germany to the UN Security Council to trigger the "snapback" mechanism, which allows for the reinstatement of UN sanctions against Iran's nuclear program. In a statement issued by the ministry, the initiative was described as "legally invalid" and "politically motivated." The statement said, "The Iranian Foreign Ministry categorically rejects and condemns in the strongest terms the illegal application made by France, Germany, and the UK to the UN Security Council regarding Resolution 2231. This baseless initiative is contrary to the dispute resolution mechanism provided for in the nuclear deal. Furthermore, it is an illegal and unjust effort to reinstate previously lifted resolutions, which clearly contradicts Resolution 2231."

"THEY HAVE NO AUTHORITY"

Pointing to numerous correspondences previously sent to the UN Security Council, the statement added, "The three European countries have no legal or moral authority to invoke the snapback mechanism. Therefore, this application they have made is an invalid, void, and ineffective initiative that produces no legal consequences."

Emphasizing that the mechanism established to resolve issues within the nuclear deal is one of the most important and indispensable elements of the agreement, the statement said, "This mechanism was designed as a multi-stage and consultative process specifically to prevent abuse by countries such as Germany, France, and the UK that do not fulfill their obligations."

"THREE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES VIOLATED THEIR OBLIGATIONS"

The statement continued, "As confirmed by some Council members, particularly China and Russia, the three European countries have not fulfilled the requirements of the mechanism. Therefore, their application is a legally invalid attempt to abuse Resolution 2231 in line with a politically motivated agenda against Iran. Moreover, these countries have long violated their obligations and supported the US's illegal withdrawal from the nuclear deal. Therefore, they cannot claim to be 'good-faith parties,' and it is impossible for them to justify their own illegal actions with Iran's legal steps, which are entirely within the framework of the agreement."

"THEY ARE REWARDING THE CULPRIT AND PUNISHING THE VICTIM"

Stating that bringing this mechanism to the agenda at a time when Iran's nuclear facilities have been severely damaged by an illegal attack is a "clear sign of bad faith," the statement said, "The three countries' ignoring of the facts and distortion of events rewards the culprit and punishes the victim. It was not Iran, but the US, that unilaterally withdrew from the agreement in 2018 and reinstated sanctions. It was not Iran, but the European Union and the three European countries, that failed to compensate for the economic consequences of this withdrawal. It was also these countries that failed to fulfill their commitments on October 18, 2023, and instead imposed new illegal sanctions on Iran's civil aviation and shipping companies."

"THE NECESSARY RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN"

Warning that this decision by the three European countries would seriously weaken the current cooperation process between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the statement said, "The necessary response will be given to this unnecessary and provocative step." The statement added, "If the path chosen by the three European countries is not blocked, it will have serious consequences for the reputation and structure of the UN Security Council. Invoking the snapback mechanism without following the necessary processes and without valid legal grounds not only weakens confidence in Council resolutions but also threatens international peace and security."

"IRAN IS READY FOR DIALOGUE"

Emphasizing that Iran has shown the utmost restraint to date to preserve the agreement, the statement said, "Iran is ready for constructive cooperation with members of the UN Security Council who remain committed to sincerely preserving diplomacy and preventing artificial crises. The first step is the definitive rejection of the illegal, unjust, and political initiative of the three European countries to reinstate lifted sanctions."

The E3 countries, consisting of the UK, France, and Germany, had applied to the United Nations Security Council to trigger the "snapback" mechanism, which could reinstate UN sanctions against Iran.

News Source: İHA