The UN Security Council voted yesterday on reimposing deep economic sanctions on Iran over its resurgent nuclear program.
The UK, France and Germany — signatories to a 2015 deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) intended to stop Tehran obtaining nuclear weapons — alleged 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.
Photo: AFP
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi yesterday said he had put forward a “fair and balanced” proposal to European powers to prevent the return of sanctions.
However, French President Emmanuel Macron said he expected international sanctions to be reinstated by the end of the month.
In a letter to the UN last month, 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.
“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,” International Crisis Group analyst Richard Gowan said.
“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,” he added.
Iran has threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the snapback is triggered.
The meeting was still ongoing as of press time last night.
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