EU official says US cannot launch ‘snapback’ sanctions on Iran

The European Union’s foreign policy chief has said that the United States is not entitled to force the reinstatement of sanctions on Iran via the so-called “snapback” mechanism linked to an international nuclear deal.

Since the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), it cannot be considered a part of it, the official added on Sunday.

“Given that the US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and has not participated in any JCPOA structures or activities subsequently, the US cannot be considered as a JCPOA participant,” a spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said, according to dpa news agency.

“We therefore consider that the US is not in a position to resort to mechanisms reserved for JCPOA participants [such as the so-called snapback].”

The nuclear agreement is intended to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons while granting it an internationally monitored civilian nuclear power programme.

In the course of the agreement adopted by the United Nations, the dismantling of sanctions against Iran was also regulated.

An arms embargo that is part of the deal is due to expire in October.

The US wants an extension of the embargo, but it failed to push this through in the UN Security Council earlier this week.

Now, President Donald Trump wants to force the reinstatement of all international sanctions on Iran against the will of the other members of the UNSC via the “snapback”.

“We’ll be doing a snapback,” Trump told reporters on Saturday at a press conference in New Jersey. “You’ll be watching it next week.”

The snapback was granted to the participants in the nuclear agreement in the event of a violation of the terms by Iran.

(Al-Jazeera)