US’ Maximum Isolation Outcome of Pressures against Iran: Rouhani
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani highlighted the US’ failures in its bids against the Iranian nation, saying Washington’s measures only led to its maximum isolation in the international arena.
The United States’ legal and political pressures only turned out to be causing maximum isolation for Washington itself and even its traditional allies opposed the US measures, Rouhani said during a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
“The Americans failed to form a coalition against us,” he said. “During the past month, the Americans tried to (secure an extension of) a UN arms embargo against Iran … and they failed in their bid.”
The president noted that the US’ push to trigger the snapback mechanism of the JCPOA was not acceptable to any country either.
Over the past month, he added, “The US has faced three defeats at the United Nations Security Council which they (the Americans) thought to be their advantage.”
He went on to reiterate that there is only one way to talk to the Iranian nation and that is with the language of respect, adding that bullying will certainly lead to failure.
The remarks came after the three European signatories to the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the E3, said on Sunday that a claim by the United States that it has restored Iran sanctions through the so-called snapback mechanism has no legal effect.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed on Saturday that all UN sanctions against Iran were “back in effect” under the “snapback” provision in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The claim came 30 days after Pompeo notified the UN Security Council (UNSC) of what he called Iran’s “significant non-performance” with its obligations under the JCPOA.
But 13 of the 15 Security Council members said Washington’s move is void because Pompeo used a mechanism agreed under the JCPOA – from which US President Donald Trump withdrew in May 2018.
In a statement released on Sunday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom said Washington is not a participant to the JCPOA and thus its notification on snapback sanctions “is incapable of having legal effect.”
“France, Germany and the United Kingdom (“the E3”) note that the US ceased to be a participant to the JCPOA following their withdrawal from the deal on 8 May, 2018. Consequently, the purported notification under paragraph 11 of UNSCR 2231 (2015), received from the United States of America and circulated to the UN Security Council Members, is incapable of having legal effect. It flows from this that any decisions and actions which would be taken based on this procedure or on its possible outcome would also be incapable of having any legal effect,” the statement read.
The European parties to the nuclear deal also stressed their commitment to the UNSC Resolution 2231, which enshrined the JCPOA.
“We remain guided by the objective of upholding the authority and integrity of the United Nations Security Council. The E3 remains committed to fully implementing UNSCR 2231 (2015) by which the JCPOA was endorsed in 2015. We have worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear agreement and remain committed to do so,” they said.
Earlier on Sunday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council he cannot take any action on the US declaration that all UN sanctions on Iran had been reimposed because “there would appear to be uncertainty” on the issue.
