The latest move in the “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran – it has largely isolated the US. It comes after the administration failed to extend a conventional arms embargo under the Iran nuclear deal, which expires next month.
“The United States expects all UN member states to fully comply with their obligations to implement these measures. In addition to the arms embargo, it includes sanctions on Iran, including sanctions on prosperity and re-supply activities, and a ban on ballistic missiles. The United States is ready to use our local authorities if UN member states fail to meet their obligations to enforce these sanctions, Pompeo said in a statement. That is, to impose consequences for these failures and to ensure that Iran does not reap the benefits of UN prohibited activity.
Other countries have rejected the U.S. argument that it could re-impose UN sanctions under the Iran nuclear deal because the Trump administration withdrew from the deal in 2018. They are not expected to recognize snapback restrictions.
“In the coming days, the United States will announce various additional measures to strengthen enforcement of sanctions and hold violators accountable,” Pompeo said without elaborating.
In a letter to the UN Security Council and the UN Secretary-General, Iran has urged the council to stop any attempt by the United States to impose international sanctions.
“The stated purpose of the United States is to completely destroy the Comprehensive Plan of Action and, to that end, to create legal confusion by presenting its strategy with unilateral arbitrary interpretation and pseudo-legal arguments. The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that members of the Security Council, “Rejecting the United States’ continued efforts to abuse the process of the conference would damage the authority and credibility of the council and the United Nations,” Majid Takht Ravanchi, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, said in the letter.
He also responded to the news on Twitter by saying that “UNSC member countries continue to maintain the US is not a participant of the JCPO, so its” snapback “claim is null and void.”
He tweeted, “USPOA is a violation and Reserve 2231 – Swimming against intral currents will only bring more isolation.”
Experts told CNN that the unilateral effort – which comes less than two months before the presidential election – is unlikely to affect arms sales on its own. Some say the move separates the US from its E3 allies – Germany, France and the United Kingdom – and works to advance the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Devoted problem solver. Tv advocate. Avid zombie aficionado. Proud twitter nerd. Subtly charming alcohol geek.
