The German, British and French Foreign Ministers announced, on Thursday 20 August, that they could not support the American request to launch the ‘snapback’ mechanism against Iran.
This mechanism allows a participant in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear agreement to seek the restoration of the multilateral sanctions against Tehran, which were lifted in 2015 in accordance with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231.
“We cannot support this initiative, which is incompatible with our current efforts to support the JCPOA”, the ministers stressed in a communiqué, recalling that the United States had ceased to be a participant in the agreement following its withdrawal on 8 May 2018 (see EUROPE 12017/1).
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, also “took note” of the US announcement. According to him, as a result of its termination of the agreement, the United States cannot, “therefore, be considered to be a JCPOA participant State for the purposes of possible sanctions snapback foreseen by the resolution”. He pledged, as coordinator of the Joint Commission, that he would do his utmost to ensure the preservation and full implementation of the JCPOA by all. This committee will meet on 1 September.
Concern over the lifting of the arms embargo
In their statement, the three ministers also underlined their deep concern about the implications for regional security of the scheduled expiration of the UN embargo on conventional weapons, particularly in light of Iran's “continued” destabilising activities.
“We are committed to providing adequate responses to these challenges and will continue to work with all members of the Security Council and all stakeholders to find solutions that preserve the scope for diplomatic action”, they pledged.
The arms embargo is due to end on 18 October 2020, and in mid-August the Security Council rejected a US resolution on the extension of the arms embargo.
The Europeans therefore called on all members of the UNSC to refrain from any action that would accentuate divisions within it or have serious consequences for its work. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)