AhlulBayt News Agency: International lawyer and foreign policy expert Reza Nasri says that China and Russia have the power to block the enforcement of UN sanctions on Iran, even if the snapback mechanism is officially activated.
Britain, France, and Germany (the E3) have initiated the snapback process, accusing Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear agreement (JCPOA). Tehran, along with Moscow and Beijing, has strongly opposed the move, calling it legally unfounded.
Resolution 2231, which formalized the JCPOA, allows for the reimposition of sanctions if a member claims non-compliance. However, the process relies on reviving inactive bodies like the Resolution 1737 Sanctions Committee and its Panel of Experts.
Nasri explained that while snapback may restore sanctions on paper, actual enforcement depends on mechanisms that require cooperation from all permanent Security Council members.
He emphasized that Russia and China could obstruct the reactivation of the committee or delay the appointment of its expert panel, rendering the sanctions largely symbolic.
Nasri noted that the committee functions by consensus, meaning any permanent member can halt its operations. Even if the E3 triggers snapback, China and Russia can block its implementation by opposing procedural steps like electing a chair or approving guidelines.
He argued that such actions would make the sanctions ineffective in practice.
The snapback process has already revealed deep political and legal divisions. The E3 invoked it on August 28, bypassing parts of the Joint Commission’s dispute resolution process, which typically allows 35 days before escalation to the Security Council.
Russia and China criticized the E3 for ignoring procedural norms and their own breaches of the JCPOA. Both nations proposed alternatives, such as extending the timeline under Resolution 2231 to allow more negotiations.
Nasri warned that the E3’s insistence on snapback could lead to a diplomatic stalemate. He said Europe is pushing the global community into a cycle of escalation, procedural conflict, and institutional dysfunction, with European capitals bearing full responsibility.
His remarks coincided with a Security Council vote on a resolution to permanently lift sanctions on Iran. The outcome means UN sanctions will be reinstated by September 28 unless a major diplomatic breakthrough occurs.
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