US, Europe at odds over Iran deal action

The United States formally began the process Thursday of activating a controversial mechanism aimed at reimposing sanctions on Iran, a move that was immediately rejected by European allies fighting to save the Iranian nuclear deal.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Britain, France and Germany of “siding with the ayatollahs” after they insisted Washington had no legal right to trigger the disputed procedure called “snapback”.

Pompeo personally submitted a letter to the president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, accusing Iran of “significant” noncompliance with the terms of the historic accord, according to a copy seen by AFP.

The letter is intended to start the snapback process of reimposing sanctions on Iran, which threatens to torpedo the 2015 nuclear accord.

It also widens the gulf between the US and nearly every other Security Council member on Iran policy, which began when US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement in 2018.

The procedure, never before used, comes after the US suffered a defeat at the Security Council last week after it failed to muster support for a resolution to extend a conventional arms embargo on Iran.

The snapback aims to restore all international sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the nuclear agreement with Teheran in exchange for it agreeing not to develop nuclear weapons.

But it also threatens to sink that historic deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Britain, France and Germany — along with Russia and China — are trying to save.

Britain, France and Germany released a joint statement saying they would not support the action “which is incompatible” with efforts to preserve the JCPOA.

“We call on all UNSC members to refrain from any action that would only deepen divisions in the Security Council or that would have serious adverse consequences on its work,” it read.

Pompeo accused the three of a “failure of leadership” and said their actions would “endanger” people living in the Middle East as well as their own citizens.

The three countries said they have serious concerns about the conventional arms embargo expiring Oct 18 but believe the safest way to keep Iran in check is through the JCPOA.

A Security Council resolution ratifying the JCPOA, which was negotiated during the Obama administration, says participating states can unilaterally reimpose sanctions if Iran has failed to significantly comply with the agreement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a news conference Thursday that as the US has withdrawn from the JCPOA, it has no right to ask the Security Council to launch the snapback mechanism.

“This is a common position shared by most members of the Security Council and a wide consensus reached by the international community,” Zhao said. “China firmly opposes unilateral sanctions and ‘long-arm jurisdictions’ imposed by the US against other countries.”

Zhao continued: “We urge the US to earnestly observe Security Council resolutions, fulfill its international obligations, heed the concerns of the international community and respect other countries’ legal rights and interests.”