EU distances itself from US on Iran sanctions
The European Union Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Spokesperson Peter Stano has recently said that the bloc remains committed to implementing the Iran nuclear deal as a matter of respecting international agreements.
“The EU remains committed to implementing the JCPOA as a matter of respecting international agreements and of our shared international security,” Stano said on Friday, according to neweurope.eu.
“The Iran nuclear deal, which was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council, is a key element of the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture and contributes to the security of the region, for Europe and beyond,” Stano said.
He also added that the Joint Commission of the nuclear deal – known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – will convene the Austrian capital, Vienna, on September 1.
The JCPOA Joint Commission will be chaired on behalf of EU High Representative Josep Borrell by EEAS Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid and will be attended by representatives of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and Iran, added the EU spokesman.
An arms embargo imposed on Iran is expected to be lifted on October 18 under the terms of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and UNSC Resolution 2231. This is while the United States is trying to trigger the snapback mechanism in the multilateral nuclear agreement, despite its withdrawal from the accord in May 2018 in violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 that endorses the deal.
Iran and the nuclear agreement’s remaining signatories have repeatedly reminded the US that by leaving the deal, Washington has, by extension, lost all of its rights to seek recourse to UNSC Resolution 2231 and therefore cannot invoke the snapback. So, on the voting day, 13 UNSC member states out of the total 15 members expressed their opposition to the US draft resolution.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday that Washington will return all UN sanctions on Iran “at midnight GMT on Sep. 20,” and would sanction any country or entity that opposes to its move.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh on Thursday mocked Pompeo for his claim about returning of the UN sanctions on Iran by saying in a tweeted message, “The clock is ticking just in Pompeo's parallel alternate universe! This happens when an ex-spymaster leads US diplomacy,” referring to Pompeo’s position as the CIA chief between 2017 and 2018.
Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi also deplored the US for threatening UN Security Council’s members, saying Washington’s acts will undermine the Council’s authority.
"#US's unilateralism is undermining UN. Council's authority is on the line," Takht-Ravanchi warned in his tweeted message on Friday.
Chinese Mission to the United Nations termed Pompeo’s claims as “full of lies” adding, "The US demand for invoking a snapback has no legal ground. It is nothing but a political show put on by the US itself.”
Russian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov also condemned Pompeo in a message on Friday saying that the US' act will bring about unprecedented conflict in UNSC.
Commenting on US present international situation, Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris said on Thursday, “I think it's fair to say this (Trump’s) America First approach has been America alone which is not in our best interest or in the interest of our allies.”
Source: Iran Daily