China Says There’s No Justification for JCPOA Snapback Activation

The mission at the UN headquarters in New York distributed an explanatory note to the Security Council, stating that the difficult situation in implementing the JCPOA and Resolution 2231 is not the result of Iran's actions but the disruption of the JCPOA's implementation by the United States and the three European countries.

The statement said this cannot be an excuse to restore the anti-Iran sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 deal.

In the note, China warned that attempts to activate the snapback could have "unpredictable and catastrophic" consequences, destroying all the diplomatic achievements of recent years.

The document said any attempt by some countries to activate the "snapback" without following the legal process would be an abuse of the Security Council's powers and duties and would be invalid.

The note underscored Iran's right to peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of the NPT, calling on all parties to adhere to dialogue, mutual respect, and finding solutions that address the legitimate concerns of the international community.

China concluded by stating that it will continue to play an active role in the negotiation process and called on the Security Council to, instead of creating obstacles, pave the way for a new and lasting agreement.

As the 2015 nuclear deal nears its official end, Iran is preparing for the removal of confidence-building curbs on its nuclear program.

However, the European signatories have threatened to invoke the "snapback" mechanism, which would restore all UN sanctions on Iran that were lifted under the deal.

Western media reports indicate that three European nations have agreed to activate the snapback by the end of August if a new nuclear deal is not reached.

This move would disrupt the successful conclusion of the current agreement.

The United States and Iran had been in talks to find a replacement for the 2015 deal, but these negotiations were halted following a surprise US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

In a show of support for Iran, Russia has also publicly opposed Europe's activation of the snapback, distributing an explanatory note to declare its position.