Russia has accused France, Germany, and the UK of “acting in breach” of the 2015 Iranian nuclear agreement, condemning their move to trigger a “snapback” mechanism that could reinstate international sanctions on Tehran. Russian charge d’affaires to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, stated that the three European countries’ actions have “absolutely no legal bearing.”
Speaking at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, Polyanskiy said that the E3 countries were not acting in “good faith.” He accused them of violating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or the nuclear deal, “in each and every sense and letter and spirit.” The diplomat also argued that the Security Council should not take any action based on the E3’s decision.
Russia and China Propose Alternative Resolution
In response to the E3’s move, Russia and China have put forward a draft resolution in the UN Security Council. This draft aims to extend the agreement’s 10-year term for another six months, until April 18, 2026. Polyanskiy described the joint proposal as a path towards “diplomacy and peace,” contrasting it with what he called the West’s “coercive” approach.
“The option that Russia and China are now providing for the whole world should lead us to this aim without further problems,” he added. He also dismissed any link between their draft and the “snapback” mechanism.
ocus on the “Real Source of the Problem”
Polyanskiy also brought up recent Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, urging the international community “not to confuse the real source of the problem.” He accused the E3 countries of caring “only about blackmail and threats and coercion of independent countries,” adding that they appeared to be acting like “gangsters.”
The E3 announced on Thursday that they had notified the Security Council of Iran’s “significant non-performance” under the 2015 deal. This triggered a 30-day period during which previously terminated UN sanctions could be re-established. The US left the nuclear deal in 2018 and has since re-imposed its own sanctions on Iran.
