EU vows to re-impose UN sanctions on Iran 'without delay' as snapback takes effect

ISTANBUL

The EU announced plans Sunday to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran "without delay," days after a vote to delay them failed in the Security Council earlier this week.

"The European Union will now proceed to implement the re-imposition of all previously lifted UN and EU nuclear-related sanctions without delay," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement issued by the European External Action Service (EEAS), the bloc’s diplomatic arm.

Kallas noted that the snapback of sanctions and nuclear restrictions "must not" be the end of nuclear diplomacy with Iran, calling the issue a "key challenge" to regional and international security.

"It is the position of the European Union that a sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiation and diplomacy. In line with the UNSC Resolutions that have been brought back into force today, I will remain engaged with all relevant parties, including Iran, in support of political and diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated solution," she added.

Kallas further urged Iran to "fully resume cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency "without delay," in line with its "legal obligations" under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The UN Security Council on Friday vetoed a draft resolution to extend the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program until April 18, 2026.

Under the pact, endorsed by the UN Security Council, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors to verify that its nuclear program served only peaceful purposes.

On Aug. 28, France, Germany, and the UK triggered the "snapback" mechanism under UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which restores sanctions in 30 days if Iran fails to meet its obligations.

After US and Israeli attacks on Iran earlier this year, Tehran halted cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, claiming that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was biased against it.

The sanctions came back into force for the first time in a decade on Sunday after France, Germany, and the UK invoked the snapback mechanism, accusing Tehran of violating its nuclear obligations.

The sanctions bar dealings related to Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles program and are also expected to have wider effects on the country’s economy.