As tensions rise over Tehran’s nuclear facilities, Britain, France and Germany have begun work on reinstating significant UN sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015, writes the BBC.
In a letter to the European Union, Iran’s foreign minister said the three countries had no legal right to reimpose sanctions, and that both Russia and China supported Iran’s position. The minister wrote that Iran was ready to resume peaceful and balanced talks and discuss its nuclear program if other parties involved showed seriousness and goodwill.
Britain, France and Germany were among the countries that signed the 2015 deal with Iran and warned in mid-August that they would reimpose sanctions if Iran did not agree to a diplomatic solution by the end of August. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the move seriously undermined ongoing talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling it a provocation and an unnecessary escalation of the situation that would be met with an appropriate response.
Talks over Tehran’s nuclear program between the US and Iran have not resumed
since the US bombed Iranian nuclear facilities in June. Iran then barred UN-backed inspectors from visiting the sites.
The UN-led deal between Iran and the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and the European Union to lift crippling economic sanctions was struck in 2015 and stipulated that Iran would scale back its nuclear program. The deal fell apart after US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018 during his first term. In response, Iran resumed large-scale nuclear activities, further exacerbating the crisis.
The clause on the renewal of sanctions was originally included in the agreement, and it stipulates that any of the participating countries, if it believes that Iran is violating the terms, can ask the UN Security Council to renew the sanctions. France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, submitted a letter to the council on the 28th of August with a request to renew the sanctions. The council now has 30 days to decide on the renewal of sanctions. In the letter, the E3 countries indicate that the violations of the 2015 agreement are clear and intentional. Iran has no basis for accumulating large amounts of enriched uranium for civilian needs, and
its nuclear program is a threat to international peace and security.
Iran has called for the proposal to renew the sanctions to be rejected. In turn, the United States has announced that it supports the proposal and will work with the E3 to return the sanctions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, indicated that the United States remains available for direct talks with Iran.
Western countries and the IAEA have said they are not convinced that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful. Iran, meanwhile, insists that it has no intention of producing nuclear weapons and that its nuclear program is intended only for civilian use.
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