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EU confirms ‘snapback’ sanctions on Iran amid calls for dialogue

European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas emphasized however that “a sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiations.”

Kaja Kallas
E.U. foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Credit: European Union.

The European Union confirmed on Sunday that it had reimposed sanctions on Iran due to Tehran’s violations of its obligations under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Today, the UN Security Council has re-imposed all nuclear-related UN sanctions and restrictions against Iran that had been terminated under the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 which endorsed the JCPOA,” according to statement released by European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas.

“This follows the invoking of the snap back mechanism by France, Germany and the UK (E3) who notified the UNSC on 28 August of Iran’s significant non-compliance of its commitments under the JCPoA,” the statement continued. “As Coordinator of the JCPoA Joint Commission, I have, together with the E3 and many international partners, had intensive diplomatic efforts with Iran ahead and during the 30-day timeframe foreseen in the snap back process which unfortunately did not result in creating the conditions for a possible extension of the UNSCR 2231.

“Consequently, the European Union will now proceed to implement the re-imposition of all previously lifted UN and EU nuclear-related sanctions without delay.”

The sanctions, which went into effect at 8 p.m. on Saturday, reintroduce restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities, as well as broad financial restrictions, including freezing assets of Iran’s central bank, according to AFP.

Kallas stated on Sunday, however, that the reimposition of sanctions “must not be the end of diplomacy with Iran.”

“A sustainable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can only be achieved through negotiations,” Kallas noted.

She urged the Islamic Republic to “fully resume cooperation” with the International Atomic Energy Agency without delay, in line with its legal obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its binding Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.

The European signatories to the pact, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, started the so-called snapback process a month ago.

Over the past eight days, the U.N. Security Council, which gave the JCPOA the force of law via several resolutions, voted twice not to extend the pact for another six months. The agreement was set to expire on Oct. 18.

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