Iraqi and Lavrov: Europe "lacks legal authority" to activate sanctions mechanism against Iran

In a phone call between them, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed the latest developments regarding the Iranian nuclear file, particularly the recent threats issued by the European Union to reimpose sanctions on Tehran.

The Iranian news agency "Mehr" reported today, Saturday, that the conversation focused on the actions of Britain, France, and Germany (known as the European troika) aimed at activating what is known as the "snapback mechanism" (Snap Back) stipulated in the 2015 nuclear agreement, with the goal of reinstating international sanctions on Tehran, in addition to the issue of Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

According to the agency, the two sides agreed on a unified stance, affirming that the three European countries "as a result of their failure to meet their obligations under the 2015 nuclear agreement on one hand, and their cooperation with the United States in attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities on the other hand, have grossly violated Resolution 2231, and thus lack the legal and moral authority to resort to the dispute resolution mechanism under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (nuclear agreement) to restore the annulled Security Council resolutions."

The two ministers emphasized during the conversation the necessity for the Security Council to conclude the provisions of Resolution 2231 at the previously scheduled time, without any extension.

This call comes amid escalating threats from the European side to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran by activating the "snapback mechanism", based on key European demands for renewing access for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to Iranian nuclear facilities, and clarifying the fate of about 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, which is alleged to have disappeared since the American attack on nuclear facilities in Iran.