A recent attempt to postpone the ‘snapback’ sanctions against Iran at the United Nations Security Council fell through on Friday. Tehran was unable to convince enough nations that it had adequately scaled back its nuclear ambitions, leading to the imminent re-implementation of international penalties.
The resolution, spearheaded by Iran’s allies China and Russia, aimed to delay these automatic UN sanctions for six months. However, the proposal garnered only four votes from the 15-member Council. A majority of nine countries, including significant European powers like Britain, France, and the United States, opposed any deferral of the sanctions.
These sanctions are scheduled to take effect in Iran early on Sunday morning.
The reinstated measures are comprehensive, encompassing an embargo on conventional arms sales to Iran, limitations on ballistic missile testing, asset freezes targeting key individuals involved in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, alongside various financial and banking restrictions, and prohibitions on uranium enrichment or reprocessing.
During the Security Council assembly in New York, European leaders expressed their disappointment. Despite intense diplomatic efforts in recent days to persuade Iran to compromise, they stated that Iranian leaders had failed to make substantial commitments.
Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s representative to the U.N., lamented, “To our major regret, Iran has persisted in its attitude of refusal.” He further explained that Iran had not committed to resuming effective cooperation with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog or to clarifying the whereabouts of its enriched material stockpile.
Echoing these sentiments, Barbara Woodward, Britain’s representative, affirmed, “We stand ready to continue discussions with Iran on a diplomatic solution. In turn, this could allow for the lifting of sanctions in the future.”
For years, Iran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. This week at the United Nations General Assembly, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated remarks from the country’s supreme leader, stating, “Iran has never sought or will never seek to build a nuclear bomb.”
The U.N.’s atomic watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, had maintained a presence of inspectors and cameras within Iran’s nuclear facilities. This continued until June, when the United States joined Israel’s 12-day conflict against Iran, resulting in significant damage to these sites. The watchdog has publicly stated that it has found no evidence of Iran weaponizing its program.
A photograph from the Security Council meeting shows delegates from various nations gathered around a circular table, with some individuals raising their hands during the vote, where Russia and China sought to delay sanctions.
The 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and Western nations included a critical ‘snapback’ mechanism. This provision allowed for the automatic re-imposition of all suspended UN sanctions if any party to the deal determined that Iran was not upholding its commitments.
Crucially, this snapback mechanism was designed to be veto-proof at the Security Council and is set to expire on October 18. Beyond this date, countries like China and Russia, both significant trading partners with Iran, would theoretically be able to veto future sanctions against Tehran in the Council.
In anticipation of this deadline, Britain, France, and Germany (collectively known as the E3) initiated steps in late August to reimpose all sanctions on Iran, citing its failure to comply with the 2015 agreement’s terms.
A joint letter from the three countries to the Security Council accused Iran of “increasingly and deliberately ceased performing” its nuclear commitments. This included accumulating a “high enriched uranium stockpile” and obstructing inspections by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.
The same letter indicated that if Iran’s “significant nonperformance” were “resolved” within the 30-day period, the Security Council would be informed. This followed discussions in July where European diplomats had offered to delay sanctions if Iran met three conditions: resuming nuclear negotiations with the United States, allowing the U.N. nuclear watchdog full inspection access to its sites, and providing a full accounting of its highly enriched uranium stockpile.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking at Friday’s Security Council meeting, maintained that Iran’s actions have been “lawful, gradual, and fully consistent” with the 2015 nuclear accord. He reaffirmed, “Iran categorically rejects weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.”
Representing China at the meeting, Geng Shuang described the current situation as “precarious.” However, he pointed out that Iran has consistently conveyed positive signals regarding its willingness to resume talks with the United States. He argued that delaying the sanctions would provide “more time for diplomatic efforts” to achieve a resolution.
The UN’s decision effectively aligns it with the United States’ ongoing economic pressure campaign against Iran.
In 2018, then-President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear agreement. He contended that the deal provided Iran with substantial financial resources that were then used to bolster its military, while still permitting nuclear development and research.
Mr. Trump unilaterally reinstated extensive U.S. sanctions and initiated a “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at crippling Tehran’s economy and preventing it from developing nuclear weapons.