Tehran, Moscow reiterate rejection of E3’s sanctions snapback
Tehran - BORNA - In a meeting held on Friday, Iran’s ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov reiterated their joint opposition to the so-called initiative by the European trio. They also discussed bilateral cooperation, including within the BRICS framework.
Jalali emphasized that the E3 had failed to fulfill their commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) following the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreement in May 2018.
He further asserted that the snapback mechanism had been transformed into "a tool to reward the original violator of the agreement—namely, the United States."
Jalali described the decision as unlawful and evidence of Europe’s weakened international standing.
Ryabkov echoed the rejection, stressing that “Russia has repeatedly made clear, through Foreign Ministry statements and other diplomatic channels, that this procedure is illegal.”
He added that the action by Western states showed they “do not care about the content of Security Council resolutions and use them selectively as tools.”
The joint stance follows broader criticism from Moscow and Beijing. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already written to UN Secretary‑General António Guterres to underline the illegal nature of the decision, while China has also branded the process unlawful.
Earlier this week, Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia also reiterated the stance in New York. “We do not recognize the snapback as coming into force.”
He noted that Western governments have been “serial violators” of Resolution 2231 and said they had “forfeited a diplomatic solution” by activating the procedure.
The UK, France, and Germany triggered the snapback on August 28, setting in motion a 30‑day process to restore all UN sanctions on Iran.
Despite last‑minute efforts by Russia and China to preserve diplomacy, the Security Council failed to reach consensus on September 26. Two days later, the E3 and the United States declared the sanctions reinstated and urged UN member states to enforce them.
Tehran has categorically rejected the claim, insisting that it was the United States and its European allies who undermined the 2015 nuclear deal by failing to honor their commitments.
Iranian officials maintain that no UN member state is obliged to comply with the unilateral and unlawful measure.
Iran’s position is anchored in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear agreement and formally lifted earlier sanctions on Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian officials stress that the resolution established a clear, time‑bound framework under which all nuclear‑related restrictions are set to expire permanently on October 18, 2025.
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