1)
The UN Security Council on Friday failed to uphold an arms embargo on #Iran & the U.S. could now act on a threat to trigger a return of all U.N. sanctions on Tehran, known as snapback.
The world body failed to live up to its responsibility & the price will be high.
Even though the US withdrew from the 2015 deal, snapback would require Iran to suspend all nuclear enrichment-related & reprocessing activities, including R&D, & ban imports of anything contributing to those activities or to the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems.
How does the U.S. trigger snapback?
Washington would have to submit a complaint about Iran breaching the nuclear deal to the UN Security Council.
The council would then have to vote within 30 days on a resolution to continue Iran’s sanctions relief.
If such a resolution is not put forward by the deadline, all U.N. sanctions in place before the 2015 nuclear deal would be automatically reimposed.
Some diplomats have said the U.S. could submit its complaint as early as next week.
If a resolution is put forward prior the 30-day deadline, say by Russia or China, the U.S. can veto that resolution, forcing the deadline to expire and the snapback mechanism reimposing all UN sanctions.
It was not immediately clear how Russia, China or any other Security Council members might try to stop the U.S. from triggering a sanctions snapback or if procedurally there is any way they can.
Diplomats have said several countries are likely to argue that the U.S. legally could not activate a return of U.N. sanctions and therefore they simply would not reimpose the measures on Iran themselves.
However, Russia is already concerned.
english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle…
@USAmbUN—“Under Res. 2231, the U.S. has every right to initiate snapback of provisions of previous Security Council resolutions...The U.S. will follow through on that promise to stop at nothing to extend the arms embargo [on Iran’s regime].”
usun.usmission.gov/explanation-of…
“… the clear majority of Council members gave the green light to Iran to buy and sell all manner of conventional weapons. The Council’s failure today will serve neither peace nor security. Rather, it will fuel greater conflict and drive even more insecurity.
Rest assured that the Trump administration has bipartisan support in Congress on the policy of extending the UN arms embargo.
english.aawsat.com/home/article/2…
“The U.N. arms embargo is set to expire in October, and we are concerned that the ban’s expiration will lead to more states buying and selling weapons to and from Iran.”
reuters.com/article/us-usa…
And just recently:
“Republican congressional leaders are pressuring the Trump admin to abandon its efforts to extend a UN arms embargo on Iran, and instead push the international body to reimpose all economic sanctions on Tehran.”
freebeacon.com/national-secur…
@Rich_Goldberg—All nations that abstained should abstain again if any state questions US' snapback right. To do otherwise would move them from an already morally compromised position of neutrality to proactive support of China/Russia launching a military client state in Iran.
Goldberg:
“Should any nation contest the US right to snapback—a right that is absolute and indefinite based on the text of UNSCR 2231—the Trump administration should be prepared to exercise its double veto power as a permanent member of the Security Council.”
The UN Security Council & especially the Europeans could have cooperated with the U.S. in extending the UN arms embargo on Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism.
They failed & chose the hard path.
Snapback will bear an even harsher outcome for Iran’s regime.
ADDENDUM:
Iran’s regime can always count on Sen. @ChrisMurphyCT to push its talking points.
But don’t be surprised at all, Murphy is a regular at events held by the mullahs' lobby in Washington—@NIACouncil.
ADDENDUM:
More reason to not be surprised.
Sen. Murphy has been known to hold secret meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad @JZarif, most likely the main source of his talking points.
This thread sheds light.
ADDENDUM:
@jrezaian also pushes Iran’s talking points in the @washingtonpost.
His last piece about the departure of Brian Hook from the State Dept was praised by @Tasnimnews_Fa, the mouthpiece of Iran's IRGC Quds Force, a designated terrorist organization.
ADDENDUM:
#Iran claims to have increased its missile range to reach U.S. soil. More reason to impose all pre-JCPOA sanctions on this regime.
Yet Europe believes the West should further appease the mullahs' regime.