Russia, Iran Condemn European Efforts to Reinstate UNSC Sanctions on Tehran
Moscow, The Gulf Observer: Senior Russian and Iranian officials have jointly condemned the recent attempt by three European powers to reinstate expired United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Iran, calling the move illegitimate and without legal force, according to statements released by the Iranian Embassy.
The remarks were made during a meeting in Moscow on Friday between Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
The diplomatic push follows actions by Britain, France, and Germany—the European parties to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—who activated a so-called “snapback” mechanism on September 28. This mechanism seeks to restore certain UNSC sanctions that were lifted under the terms of the original accord.
During the meeting, Ambassador Jalali described the European initiative as “illegal” and an abuse of international mechanisms. He stressed that European inaction on their JCPOA commitments began after the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the multilateral agreement in 2018.
“By turning the snapback mechanism into a tool to reward the first violator of the JCPOA, the United States, [the Europeans] completed their breach of promise to the Iranian nation and demonstrated the weakness of their international standing,” Jalali said.
Echoing Tehran’s stance, Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov reiterated that Russia considers the European effort “invalid” and emphasized that Moscow has consistently opposed this “illegal process.” He added that the action by the Western powers reflects a selective and instrumental approach, showing disregard for the content of Security Council resolutions.
The joint statements underline the growing tensions over the implementation and interpretation of the JCPOA, highlighting the differing positions of Western and non-Western powers on international diplomatic norms and sanctions enforcement.
