UN Security Council president rejects US attempt to return all sanctions on Iran

UN Security Council president Indonesia rejected the US move to trigger a return of all sanctions on Iran, saying it was not in the position to take further action. Majority of Council members expressed their opposition to the US’ attempt to trigger a snapback as it had pulled back from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

Indonesia’s UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, council president for August, reiterated that the US is no longer a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) to trigger a snapback. After getting isolated on the issue, US Ambassador Kelly Craft told the council that the Trump administration has no fear in standing in the limited company on this matter.

“I only regret that other members of this council have lost their way and now find themselves standing in the company of terrorists,” she said.

After the meeting, Craft said in a statement that US President Donald Trump would never allow the “world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism” to freely buy and sell planes, tanks, missiles, and other kinds of conventional weapons. She said the United States took the only reasonable and responsible action left after the majority of the UN body “surrendered to unthinkable inaction.”

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Read: China Slams US Over Snap Back Of Iran Sanctions, Says It's 'misusing International Law'

Pompeo's warning

Last week, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo accused European allies of “siding with the ayatollahs” after they opposed the United States for reimposing sanctions on Iran using “snapback”. The Iran nuclear deal was enshrined in a UNSC resolution which still names the US as a participant and the Trump administration is arguing on the technicality that Washington could still trigger a snapback.

Pompeo warned that the actions of E3 countries endanger the lives of people of Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, as well as their own citizens. He praised the Gulf Cooperation Council nations for “showing courage and unity” Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates sent a letter to the Security Council urging a renewal of the arms embargo.

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(Image: AP)