Iran Rejects ‘Fabricated News’ on Partial Removal of US Sanctions

Earlier on Tuesday, a news agency, citing “an informed source,” claimed that Germany and Britain — two signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal — are opposed to Washington’s push to have the UN Security Council (UNSC) extend a UN arms embargo against Iran, which is slated to expire next month.

To resolve the differences over the issue, the source claimed, Germany, backed by Britain, has put forward an initiative under which the US would temporarily lift parts of the “non-targeted” anti-Iran sanctions, which have largely affected ordinary Iranians, in “a first step.”

“General negotiations” would then be held on different subjects ranging from Iran-US tensions to regional problems, according to the purported proposal.

If a positive outcome is achieved, sanctions would be removed permanently, while more topics will be put to discussion since Iran is believed to be the key player in the region, the source claimed.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi, however, rejected the claims as “fabricated news” that serves unknown goals.

“As far as it concerns the Islamic Republic of Iran, the unilateral US sanctions are illegal and cruel,” he added.

He said based on the multilateral nuclear agreement, named the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and UNSC Resolution 2231, which endorses the accord, “the US is duty-bound to lift and nullify all the sanctions it has re-imposed after its withdrawal from the JCPOA.”

Washington has, in recent months, stepped up its push to keep the UN arms ban against Iran in place through a UNSC resolution, threatening that it would use a provision in the agreement, which it left in 2018, to trigger a return of all UN sanctions on Iran if the UN body fails to extend the embargo.

The remaining signatories to the deal, even Washington’s own allies, have repeatedly reminded the US that it is no longer a party to the JCPOA and thus cannot use the provision to bring about a renewal of anti-Iran bans.

The Security Council is preparing for a vote on the US-drafted resolution, but experts believe the American proposal has no chance