Russia and China have begun to oppose Washington’s statement to the UN that this could provoke the return of all sanctions against Iran in the Security Council, with Moscow citing a 50-year international legal opinion as an argument against such a step.
Reuters reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and senior Chinese government diplomat Wang Yi wrote to 15 members of the Security Council and UN head Antonio Guterres because the U.S. threatened to provoke a so-called sanctions rollback on Iran’s nuclear deal, even though Washington withdrew the agreement in 2018.
In a May 27 letter released this week, Lavrov wrote that the U.S. is acting “ridiculously and irresponsibly,” adding:
“This is absolutely unacceptable and serves only to recall the famous English proverb about having one’s cake and eating it.”
Washington has threatened to provoke the return of UN sanctions against Iran if the Security Council does not extend the arms embargo, which expires in October, in accordance with Tehran’s agreement with the world powers to prevent the creation of nuclear weapons.
US ambassador to the UN Kelly Kelly said last week that a draft resolution on the embargo would be circulated soon.
Russia and China have already made it clear that they are against the reimpositioning of an arms embargo on Iran. If they block the resolution drafted by the US, Washington will have to comply with its threat.
“The United States, which no longer participates in the JCPOA after it has been abandoned, has no right to demand that the Security Council impose sanctions”, – Wang wrote in a June 7 letter.
The 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, enshrined in the UN resolution, allows for the return of sanctions on Iran, including the arms embargo, if Iran violates the deal. U.S. President Donald Trump closed the deal in 2018, calling the deal with President Barack Obama “the worst deal ever.
Lavrov referred to the 1971 judgment of the International Court of Justice, which found that the fundamental principle governing international relations is that “a party that refuses or fails to fulfill its own obligations cannot be recognized as retaining the rights it claims derive from the relationship.
Iran violated part of the nuclear deal in response to the U.S. withdrawal and renewed sanctions by Washington.
The United States claims it can still provoke a return to sanctions because it is still called a participant in the 2015 UN resolution. Diplomats say Washington is likely to face a tough and dirty battle.