United Kingdom, France and Germany began a 30 -day process to repay UN sanctions to Iran because of its nuclear program, according to a letter sent by the three nations to the UN Security Council, seen by Reuters.
The trio, known as E3, took this measure due to accusations that Iran did not comply with the 2015 agreement with world powers, whose purpose was to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons.
What is the nuclear agreement of Iran 2015?
Many countries suspect that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, something the country denies.
In 2015, Iran signed an agreement with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States, Russia and China – known as the Global Joint Action Plan (JCPOA) – which suspended sanctions from the UN, the US and Europe against Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.
The UN Security Council officialized the agreement through a resolution in July 2015. This resolution – and the possibility of any parts of the nuclear agreement triggers the so -called “Snapback” of Iran’s sanctions – is expected to expire on October 18.
What is automatic restoration (snapback)?
According to the 2015 agreement, there is a mechanism known as snapback, which allows the automatic reposition of UN sanctions to Iran.
If the parties are unable to resolve the accusations of “significant non -compliance” by Iran, this mechanism may be triggered to the UN Security Council, consisting of 15 members.
Now that the process has begun, the Security Council must vote within 30 days a resolution to maintain the relief of sanctions to Iran. To be approved, this resolution needs at least nine favorable votes and no veto from the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom or France.
However, such a resolution is condemned to failure. Even though nine or more members vote in favor of the extent of relief from sanctions, UK and France can use their veto power to block the resolution.
Thus, – ie 30 days after Snapback’s activation – unless the Security Council takes another measure.
What sanctions would be repositous?
With Snapback, all measures imposed by the Iran’s Security Council between 2006 and 2010, in six different resolutions, will be restored. Among them:
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Embargo on arms;
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Prohibition of uranium enrichment and reprocessing;
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Prohibition of launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of transporting nuclear weapons, as well as the transfer of ballistic missile technology and technical assistance;
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Global Freezing of Assets and Prohibition of Travel for Specific Iranian Individuals and Entities.
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Authorization for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines in search of prohibited goods, among others.
Is it still possible to avoid the reposition of sanctions?
France, the United Kingdom and Germany have offered the snapback mechanism for a limited period as an attempt to avoid the full collapse of the agreement and maintain some degree of diplomacy with Iran.
“This, in order to complete a new agreement, while maintaining the possibility of resorting to the relevant sanctions against Iran to prevent nuclear proliferation,” they wrote in a letter to the Security Council this month.
If Iran agree, the Security Council would have to adopt a new resolution.
In an unexpected movement, Russia and China presented on Sunday (14) a draft resolution to the Security Council that would extend the nuclear agreement until April 18, 2026. However, the text includes a clause that, according to a high Russian diplomat – which spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymous – would prevent the E3 group from reimp, the UN to Iran. to the vote.
What is the role of the United States in the nuclear agreement?
Calling him “the worst agreement of all time,” US President Donald Trump removed the country from the nuclear pact in 2018 during his first term, and restored all American sanctions against Tehran. In response, Iran began to move away from the commitments made in the agreement regarding its nuclear program.
In February, Trump resumed the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and supported the reposition of UN sanctions through the snapback mechanism. He said he was open to a new deal, but also threatened to use military strength if Iran did not agree to end its nuclear program.
What is Iran doing doing?
The 2015 nuclear agreement established that Iran would treat any repositioning sanctions “as a reason to cease compliance with their commitments, in whole or in part, under this JCPOA.”
The UN Nuclear Agency – the International Atomic Energy Agency (AIEA) – said Iran is “dramatically” accelerating uranium enrichment to up to 60% purity, close to the 90% level required for nuclear weapons.
Western countries say there is no need to enrich uranium at such a high level for civil purposes and that no other country has done it without manufacturing nuclear weapons. Iran claims that its nuclear program has peaceful purposes.
What is the position of the strategic allies of Iran: Russia and China
Russia and China argue that Germany, France and the United Kingdom did not follow the process of dispute resolution provided for in the nuclear agreement. The three European countries disagree with this assessment.
Russia and China say that Germany, France and the United Kingdom cannot trigger the snapback mechanism of the UN sanctions because they have not fulfilled their own obligations under the 2015 agreement.
They cannot prevent UN’s sanctions from repayment to Iran. However, they may choose not to implement the sanctions and veto any council attempt to punish them for that decision.
Why are the US and Iran not talking?
Indirect conversations between Tehran and the government of Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, did not advance.
Since April, Iran and the United States have been conducting indirect negotiations to find a new diplomatic solution for the Iranian nuclear program. The US wants to ensure that Iran can’t build a nuclear weapon.
These negotiations were suspended after Israel and the United States bombards nuclear and ballistic missile facilities in June.
