US Officially Acts to Restore UN Sanctions on Iran

US would veto attempts to ensure sanction relief

In a move that could complicate the P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran, the US is arguing that they are still part of the deal, despite withdrawing from it years ago, and is trying to reimpose ‘snapback’ sanctions against Iran under terms of the deal.

The move intends to force the issue of Iran sanctions to the UN Security Council, where the US believes that in vetoing any vote for sanctions relief they would de-facto reimpose all the sanctions in a way no one could stop.

This all rests on the US interpretation of them still having authority under the deal they long ago left, and that’s something several nations would seriously argue against. The US desperation to impose something against Iran is going to make this a major battle at the UN.

While Russia and China will oppose this US move, all other parties, Britain, France, and Germany, also questioned the US authority on this matter, calling it incompatible with the nuclear they that the US already said they withdrew from.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.