Iran has said its nemesis, the United States, is “isolated”.
Tehran, Iran:
Iran said on Sunday that its nemesis, the United States, was “isolated” after a unilateral American declaration that UN sanctions are back in force against the Islamic republic was rejected by other great powers.
The Trump administration has said the so-called “rollback” of sanctions is in effect and threatens to “impose consequences” on any UN member state that does not comply.
“The United States is very, very isolated in its claims,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said. “The whole world says nothing has changed.”
The sanctions in question were lifted in 2015 when Iran and six world powers – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States – struck a landmark nuclear deal known as name of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
But US President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018, saying the deal – negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama – was insufficient. He also renewed and even strengthened Washington’s own sanctions.
The United States insists it is still a party to the deal it came out of, but only so it can activate the snapback option, which it announced on August 20.
Virtually every other member of the Security Council disputes Washington’s ability to execute this legal pirouette, and the UN body has not taken the step further.
On Sunday, two permanent members of the council – France and Britain – issued a joint statement with non-permanent member Germany, saying the “so-called notification” from the United States was “incapable of having legal effect. “.
Russia has also said the United States lacks legal authority.
“The illegitimate initiatives and actions of the United States cannot by definition have international legal consequences for other countries,” said its foreign ministry.
– “Reckless actions” –
Iran swept aside the movement and called on the rest of the world to unite against what it called the “reckless actions” of the United States.
“It’s all very loud for nothing, and I imagine these are the bitterest days and hours for America,” Khatibzadeh said.
“Tehran’s message to Washington is clear. Come back to the international community, honor your commitments, stop rebelling and the world will accept you.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Washington’s latest move in a statement.
“Today, the United States welcomes the return of virtually all of the UN sanctions that had previously been lifted against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said.
Pompeo promised that measures would be announced in the coming days against “violators” of the sanctions to ensure that “Iran does not reap the benefits of activities banned by the UN.”
About six weeks away from the November 3 U.S. election, Trump could unveil the measures in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.
Iran has issued a stern warning if the United States follows through on the measures.
“If the United States acts on these threats, directly or with the cooperation of a handful of its puppets, it will face a serious response and be responsible for all the dangerous consequences,” its foreign ministry said.
He added that Washington, by quitting the nuclear deal, “explicitly refused any right” to use the mechanisms of the deal and of UN resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal. .
