News - Middle East: Iran has warned that invoking the so-called snapback by three European members of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will be reciprocated by a firm and proportionate response.

Amir Saeid Iravani on Tuesday warned that such an action by the E3 will be both unlawful and counterproductive.

Iravani was addressing a UN Security Council meeting on the JCPOA.

“Iran categorically rejects any threats of invoking the so-called ‘snapback,’ by E3 an action that would be both unlawful and counterproductive,” he said.

“Let’s make it clear once and for all: the so-called ‘Snapback’ is not a tool in your hand to be abused for threatening Iran. Iran has made it very clear that such a provocative move will be reciprocated by a firm and proportionate response,” he said.

The so-called snapback mechanism allows for the return of anti-Iran sanctions suspended under the deal.

He reiterated Iran’s position that the root cause of the impasse facing the JCPOA is the unilateral withdrawal of the US, and the E3’s failure to honor their commitments under the accord.

“Iran has consistently acted in good faith to uphold the environment for the revival of the JCPOA, even after the United States’ withdrawal and E3's persistence of violating their commitments,” he said.

“Iran engaged in the Vienna talks in good faith, showing utmost flexibility to achieve a balanced and mutually beneficial agreement. Unfortunately, the unrealistic demands of the E3 and the United States, their lack of political will, domestic political considerations, and attempts to tie the negotiations to unrelated issues ultimately failed the efforts to revive the deal. Blaming Iran for the failure to conclude the negotiations is both unjust and factually incorrect,” he added.

Iravani said that Iran also rejects attempts to link Iran’s JCPOA commitments to unrelated regional or geopolitical issues.

“Instead of diverting attention to fabricated threats, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, as permanent members of the Security Council must allow this Council to live up to its responsibility and address and confront the genuine sources of insecurity and instability in our region: the Israeli regime’s illicit nuclear weapons arsenal, its decades of aggression and occupation, and its ongoing campaign of systematic war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” he said.

“Further, Israel’s relentless aggression and atrocious crimes against Syria and Lebanon underscore its role as the primary driver of violence and instability in the region.”

Iravani added that Iran’s decision to walk back on some of its JCPOA commitments was a response to the West’s bad promises.

He stressed that Iran is committed to continuing cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency according to its obligations.

The Iranian diplomat urged the E3 and the US to abandon confrontational approaches and demonstrate a true commitment to diplomacy.

 Source: Press TV