The United States suffered, Tuesday, August 25, a new disavowal at the UN in its desire to see the reinstatement of international sanctions against Iran. The presidency of the Security Council has indeed affirmed that it "is not in a position" to take a decision to achieve this objective.

Assured in August by Indonesia, the presidency of the Council is "not in a position to decide on a new action" to grant the American request, declared the Indonesian ambassador, Dian Triansyah Djani. He put forward as the main reason the lack of consensus within the UN supreme body on Washington's approach.

In the wake of a notification last week from the United States to the UN to restore international sanctions against Tehran, 13 out of 15 members of the Security Council wrote to the Indonesian presidency to reject its validity. According to these countries, Washington, no longer part of the nuclear agreement concluded in 2015 with Tehran since 2018, has no legal basis to trigger at the UN a return of international sanctions via this pact.  

"The subject is closed", but ...

This notification "did not take place for us," told AFP on condition of anonymity a diplomat from one of the 13 countries in question. In their approach, "the United States is alone" and "their final goal is to destroy the nuclear agreement when they have already imposed (national) sanctions on Iran," he adds.

"The referral to the UN by the United States was deemed illegal by 13 members of the Security Council. Normally the subject is closed", adds an ambassador, also on condition of anonymity.

But the United States does not admit defeat. "By virtue of resolution 2231" having ratified the 2015 nuclear agreement, "we are entitled to trigger" the return of international sanctions and retain the "firm intention to do so in the absence of courage and moral clarity from the Advice, "said the American ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft.

Towards an American resolution?

Under the 2015 agreement, a notification of violation of its commitments by Iran must in principle be followed by a motion for a resolution by the presidency of the Security Council. Indonesia's dismissal of this option was welcomed by several Council members on Tuesday.

According to diplomats, Washington could go so far as to table its own draft resolution, paving the way for further confusion. In this case, believes an ambassador, his opponents in the Council could go so far as not to participate in the vote.

With AFP

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