Lavrov Slams UN Sanctions 'Snapback' on Iran as Deliberate Trap

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the “snapback” sanctions mechanism against Iran as a deliberate trap during remarks on Saturday. The tool was embedded in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which ratified the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, following direct talks between Iran’s foreign minister and then-U.S. Secretary of State, Lavrov explained to reporters.

“This mechanism is not a typical arrangement,” Lavrov emphasized. It essentially enables any party to demand a vote on sanction relief, while a Security Council veto-wielding member could block the measure unilaterally, paving the way for sanctions to return.

Lavrov, a key negotiator of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), said Iran accepted the mechanism under the assumption that the U.S. would remain committed to the deal. “The Iranians agreed to it because they had never anticipated a U.S. withdrawal from the deal in 2018,” he noted.

Following Washington’s exit, Lavrov charged European nations with failing to pressure the U.S. to uphold its commitments. Instead, “The Europeans are now cherry-picking what they want from Resolution 2231,” Lavrov said. “And what they want is this exotic mechanism for a snapback.”

He argued that the snapback was “created as a trap for Iran,” serving as further evidence that Iran never intended to breach its nuclear commitments.

The day before, the UN Security Council rejected a China- and Russia-backed resolution aimed at extending both the JCPOA and Resolution 2231.

Lavrov cautioned strongly against triggering sanctions reinstatement, warning, “it will deal a major blow to the credibility and the authority” of the United Nations.

According to Resolution 2231, sanctions suspended in 2015 would automatically resume 30 days after notification unless the Security Council intervenes.

“We wanted to extend the Iran nuclear deal in its entirety without adding anything or crossing anything out in all its aspects, so it would continue to be in place for the time when we hoped we could continue negotiations,” Lavrov said Saturday. He added that Iran remains open to dialogue, possibly indirect through mediators, involving the E3—the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

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