Iran slams E3 countries: Ambassadors recalled amid UN sanctions dispute

Tehran (The Uttam Hindu): Iran has recalled its ambassadors from France, Britain, and Germany. France, Britain, and Germany are also known as the E3. Iran took this decision after provocative decisions taken by the E3 countries. According to a statement issued by Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday, the ambassadors of the three countries have been called to Tehran for talks after the provocative decisions taken by the E3 countries.

The E3 countries decided to re-implement the snapback mechanism. This decision has enraged Iran. Last month, the E3 formally implemented this mechanism. Under this mechanism, it is said that if Iran breaks the 2015 nuclear deal, then UN sanctions can be re-imposed within 30 days. According to the agency, on September 19, the UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution extending sanctions relief for Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Following this, a resolution seeking a six-month extension to both the JCPOA and a resolution supporting the agreement failed to pass in the UN Security Council on Friday. The rejection means that sanctions lifted under the deal will reimpose from Saturday evening. Iran and six world powers—Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States—signed the JCPOA in July 2015, but

Tehran began gradually reducing its commitments after Washington withdrew from it in 2018. Algeria, China, Pakistan, and Russia voted in favor of Friday's draft resolution, introduced by China and Russia. Guyana and the Republic of Korea abstained. The remaining nine members of the Security Council voted against it. Nine affirmative votes were needed for the resolution to pass.

The three European countries (E3) party to the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), claimed they had activated the snapback mechanism by notifying the Security Council of Tehran's "significant non-performance" on August 28. Under Resolution No. 2231, UN sanctions in force before the resolution's passage will reapply 30 days after the notification, unless the Security Council passes a resolution deciding otherwise.