Ulyanov: European Powers Have No Right To Trigger SnapBack Mechanism

"The #UK, #Germany and #France try to blackmail #Iran and threaten to launch by the end of August the so-called SnapBack mechanism which is envisaged in the UNSC resolution 2231 and can restore all previous economic sanctions against Iran," wrote in a post on his X account on Wednesday.

"But there is a serious obstacle on the way of implementing this threat. The above-mentioned European states are themselves in violation of res.2231 and the #JCPOA. Therefore, legally speaking, they as violators don’t have the right to launch SnapBack," the Russian envoy further said.

"The doctrine of good faith in international law precludes a party from claiming rights under an agreement while simultaneously failing to fulfil its own obligations thereunder (see the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on legal consequences for states of the continued presence of South Africa in Namibia notwithstanding Security Council resolution 276(1970). In other words, an attempt by #E3 to trigger #SnapBack despite their own non-compliance would contradict the fundamental principles of international law," he concluded.

China, as another participants to the JCPOA (2015 nuclear deal with Iran) also opposes using the mechanism by the three major European powers. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin issued the statement on Friday in response to the European troika's warning to reimpose sanctions if a diplomatic solution is not achieved by the end of August.

China stays committed to peacefully resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through political and diplomatic means, opposes invoking Security Council ‘snapback’ sanctions,” Lin said.