US criticized at UNSC for pulling out of Iran deal as members stress JCPOA full implementation

Security Council members confirmed at the Wednesday meeting that the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) had yielded broad positive results and lauded Iran’s commitment to the deal as certified in thirteen consecutive reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The meeting was held on the implementation of Resolution 2231 in line with the provisions of the deal.

At the meeting, the US was also criticized for withdrawing from the historic deal reached between Iran and six major powers --- the US, the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany -- in 2015, while the UN was urged to ensure the implementation of Resolution 2231 that endorses the JCPOA.

Speaking at the meeting, the Russian ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said the Iran nuclear deal was fundamental for regional and global security.

He said that Iran continued‎ implementing the JCPOA unconditionally, adding that the UN nuclear body had confirmed Iran’s compliance with the deal in numerous reports.

The Russian envoy also said that Moscow advocated the preservation of the Iran nuclear deal.

He said that the decision by the US to exit the JCPOA and re-impose the unilateral sanctions was a “serious challenge” and not conducive to attaining the goals of the JCPOA.

“We are now facing a paradoxical situation, where one member of the Council is not only openly refusing to implement Resolution 2231, which itself approved, but is also trying to punish all other member states for implementing the decisions of the Council and the Joint JCPOA Commission,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Swedish envoy, Olof Skoog, said the JCPOA had “ensured the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.”

He said Sweden was committed to the full implementation of the of the deal and welcomed “Iran’s continues engagement” in carrying out its obligations as reported by the IAEA.

He said it was important that the Iranian people could reap the benefit of the deal.

He also regretted the US withdrawal from the deal and the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran.

Among those speaking at the meeting was also China’s envoy, Ma Zhaoxu, who appreciated Iran’s implementation of the JCPOA and urged other parties to honor commitments.

Kuwait also welcomed Iran’s continued implementation of the JCPOA, as confirmed by the IAEA and said the Security Council should ensure ‎ implementation of resolution 2231.

The German envoy, Christoph Heusgen, hailed the JCPOA as a major diplomatic accomplishment and said Berlin considered keeping the JCPOA ‎ alive was essential for the security of region and Europe.

Iran envoy: US should be held accountable for violating JCPOA
Iran’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Es’haq Al-e Habib said the Council should consider and address all obstacles created in the implementation of the JCPOA.

The envoy said the US’s re-imposition of sanctions against Iran was “a clear violation of Resolution [2231] that calls upon all states, without exception, which includes the United States, to not only take action to support the implementation of the JCPOA but also to refrain from [any] action that [would] undermine the implementation of commitments under the JCPOA.”

The Council should consider the US’s illegal acts as “a flagrant violation of the resolution and hold it accountable for such violation.”

“It is evident that any inaction or leniency ... to prevent the violation of the resolution will only embolden the United States to continue its unlawful practices and irresponsible policies,” he noted.

He said the US’s policy of resorting to “lies, fabrication and disinformation” to achieve its goal and its addiction to sanctions and warmongering were not unprecedented in the country’s foreign policy.

In defiance of the IAEA’s verification of Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA, Al-e Habib said, the US had re-imposed its “illegal” sanctions against Tehran and started punishing other countries for abiding by the resolution.

“For the first time in the United Nations history, a permanent member of the Security Council is blatantly punishing UN member states not for violating rather for complying with a Security Council resolution,” he said.

He added that the UNSC should “strongly condemn” the US for re-imposing sanctions on Iran, which he said “only harm the ordinary” Iranians.   

“The international community should stand against American bullying policies,” the Iranian envoy said.

He also rejected US’s allegations against Iran’s missile program, saying that “through fabrication, disinformation and invoking irrelevant criteria, the US tries to create ambiguity to misinterpret the resolution with regards to Iran’s missile launches.”

He said Iran’s ballistic missile program was only designed to carry conventional warheads against foreign threats.