Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The United States keeps misleading the global community by speculating about completion of some UN Security Council procedures to reenact SC sanctions resolutions on Iran which were suspended after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for Iran’s nuclear program was negotiated in 2015.

By all means, the US does realize that its claims are far from reality. Therefore, it threatens all those, who dare to disagree, with sanctions and retaliation. Apparently, American foreign policy seems to know no other arguments.

The fact is that the Security Council took no action that would lead to re-imposing former sanctions on Iran. What Washington does is no more than a show, staged in order to subordinate the Council to the US “policy of maximum pressure” on Iran and turn this reputed body into a US handy tool. But this is to no avail.

The United States fully realizes that by withdrawing from the “nuclear deal” in May 2018, restoring unilateral sanctions against Tehran, and impeding other countries’ efforts to implement resolution 2231, it defied international norms articulated by relevant decisions of the Security Council and UN Charter. Now the US tries to make everyone wear US-made “augmented reality glasses” and perceive the world through them. But life is not a video game.

This unruly behavior that runs counter to the JCPOA and UNSC resolution 2231 represents a heavy blow by the United States undermining the authority of the Security Council, reflects open contempt of its decisions and of the international law at large. This is unacceptable both for us and the other members of the Council. No surprise that the US-initiated venture with illegitimate “relaunch” of UNSC previoussanctions against Iran failed.

It was in August when the overwhelming majority of Security Council members made a very clear point about legal and procedural nullity of the American endeavor. In particular, they specified that the letter by US Secretary of State M.Pompeo dated 20 August, referred to by Washington in its claims, could not be considered a “notification” as per resolution 2231 that could trigger re-enactment of prior resolutions. The outcome of the open discussion in the Council on 25 August was the conclusion that the US address could trigger no action. This position was reiterated in September. The Russian side fully shares this.

To say that sanctions resolutions against Iran are restored would mean to delve in wishful thinking. We hope that our American colleagues will have the courage to face the facts and stop speaking on behalf of the Security Council. US illegitimate actions by default cannot have any international legal consequences on other countries or produce any obligations that would limit their legitimate cooperation with Iran.

Efforts to preserve the JCPOA and ensure its stable implementation will continue. UNSC resolution 2231 remains in force, the commitments that it entails must be implemented by all states in the manner and to the extent that were initially agreed based on the principle of reciprocity.

The United States should not aggravate the situation, but rather abandon its actions aimed at ruining the JCPOA and undermining UNSC resolution 2231.