UNSC rejects once again admissibility of US’ letter to re-impose sanctions on Iran

The full text of the statement released by Iranian mission in UN is as follows:

Today, the overwhelming majority of the Security Council members rejected once again the admissibility of the recent letter by the United States to purportedly initiate a process to re-impose Security Council sanctions on Iran.

Through individual or joint letters addressed to the Council’s President, 13 out of 15 members of the Security Council — including remaining participant States of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — as well as Iran have already strongly refuted the legal merit of the U.S. letter.

The Council members have made it clear that, the U.S., following its withdrawal from the JCPOA, is not a “JCPOA participant” anymore and as such has no right to initiate a process to re-impose Security Council sanctions on Iran as this right has been reserved only for “the JCPOA participant States”.

They believe that the U.S. has forfeited its right to initiate a process to re-impose Security Council sanctions on Iran, and accordingly, its letter cannot be considered as the qualified notification for the purpose of Resolution 2231, thus is void of any legal effect now and in future.

Iran’s position regarding the U.S. attempt is also quite clear. That letter, including all references therein, is null and void, have no legal standing and effect and are thus completely inadmissible.

Our relevant solid legal arguments and detailed supporting references are contained in the letter of Iran Foreign Minister addressed to the Council’s President and issued as a Security Council document.

Today’s deliberations in the Security Council showed once more the U.S. isolation on the JCPOA and Resolution 2231. Given that the stated objective of the U.S. is to destroy Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA, Iran trusts that the Council members will continue preventing that country from undermining the UN, including the Security Council.

Regarding unfounded accusations against Iran raised in the Council meeting by the U.S., it must be stressed that almost all problems in the Middle East stem from the continued occupation of Palestine by the Israeli regime and its expansionist policies supported by the U.S., as well as the meddling, destabilizing policies and destructive practices of the United States, which cannot be covered up by no amount of smear campaign.