Iran and EU: "The US, having withdrawn from the nuclear deal, has no authority to trigger 'snapback' sanctions"

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] As U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to restore sanctions against Iran through the 'snapback' mechanism, Iran and the European Union (EU) responded by stating that the United States, having first withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA - Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), does not hold the authority to trigger the snapback.

According to dpa news agency on the 16th (local time), Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's Foreign Minister, said through state media, "The U.S. broke the nuclear deal two years ago and now claims to initiate snapback," adding, "The U.S. itself knows better that it cannot initiate the snapback process." He emphasized, "When the U.S. joyfully abandoned the nuclear deal in May 2018, John Bolton (former White House National Security Advisor) declared in a press statement that the U.S. was no longer a participant in the nuclear deal, and that statement still remains on the White House website."

President Donald Trump announced on the 15th, the day after the UN Security Council resolution led by the U.S. to extend the arms embargo on Iran, which expires in October, was rejected on the 14th, that he would attempt to activate the snapback mechanism. Snapback is a provision that allows the reinstatement of eased sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the nuclear deal. Trump argued that although the U.S. withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, it remains a participant in the agreement and therefore can enforce the restoration of sanctions if Iran is deemed to have violated the deal.

However, a spokesperson for Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy overseeing foreign policy, stated on the same day, "Since the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, it is difficult to consider it a participant in the agreement," adding, "Therefore, we believe the U.S. is not in a position to use the procedures established for participants of the nuclear deal."

The Iran nuclear deal, concluded in 2015 between Iran and six countries including the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China, centers on Iran reducing and freezing its nuclear program and allowing inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in exchange for lifting nuclear-related sanctions imposed by the UN, the U.S., and the EU.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.