Iran threatens to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency

Iran - If the United Nations reinstates sanctions, Iran will suspend its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Iranian Supreme National Security Council stated in a statement that the UN vote initiated by France, Britain, and Germany on September 28 will reimpose international sanctions, "which will seriously damage cooperation with the Atomic Energy Agency."

The Security Council failed to pass a resolution draft on September 18 to continue exempting Iran from sanctions, significantly increasing the possibility of reinstating sanctions against Iran. This resolution aimed at preventing the reinstatement of sanctions was not passed with 4 votes in favor, 9 votes against, and 2 votes abstained. This means that if no agreement is reached before 8 p.m. New York time on September 27, sanctions against Iran will be immediately reinstated.

Russia, China, Pakistan, and Algeria voted in favor of the resolution to prevent the reinstatement of sanctions; the United States, Britain, France, Denmark, Greece, Panama, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia voted against continuing the exemption from sanctions. Guyana and South Korea abstained.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was signed on July 14, 2015 in Vienna, Austria, by Iran, the permanent members of the Security Council, Germany, and the European Union. The agreement aims to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is used for peaceful purposes while providing economic incentives to Iran. The agreement stipulates that Iran must limit its nuclear program, and the international community will gradually lift economic sanctions against Iran. The agreement came into effect on January 16, 2016.

The sanction lifting provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action allow Iran to conduct economic activities in the form of exemptions or suspensions, but if Iran does not fulfill its commitments, any party to the agreement can initiate the "rapid reinstatement of sanctions mechanism," which would restore UN sanctions within 30 days without the need for the Security Council to vote again.

On August 28 this year, France, Germany, and Britain requested the initiation of the "rapid reinstatement of sanctions" mechanism specified in Security Council Resolution 2231, to reinstate sanctions against Iran. According to the regulations, the Security Council must decide on its actions within 30 days, i.e., before 8 p.m. New York time on September 27.

According to the regulations, within 10 days after the request to initiate the "rapid reinstatement of sanctions" mechanism, if no member of the Security Council proposes a specific resolution draft to extend the exemption from sanctions, the President of the Security Council will propose a resolution draft requesting the exemption. On September 8, the current rotating chair of the Security Council, South Korea, formally proposed this resolution draft.

With the exemption from sanctions not being approved on the 18th, there is still more than a week of negotiation time. If Iran cannot reach an agreement with the three European countries during this period, the relevant sanctions will be officially reinstated as planned at 8 p.m. New York time on September 27, 2025.

At the start of the meeting on the 19th, Russia raised a procedural issue, opposing the European countries' proposal to initiate the mechanism to restore sanctions.

Source: rfi

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1843829524651207/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.