Chinese envoy: US unilateral announcement on return of UN sanctions on Iran illegitimate

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Sunday expressed opposition to the US' unilateral announcement on the return of UN sanctions on Iran.

Zhang made the remarks in his letter to the president of the Security Council and UN secretary-general after the US made the announcement on Saturday.

In his letter, Zhang pointed out that the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, and is no longer a JCPOA participant. Therefore, it is illegitimate for the United States to demand the Security Council invoke the snapback mechanism.

Thirteen members of the Security Council earlier wrote to the president of the Council and clearly stated that any decision or action resulting from the US letter is devoid of any legal, political or practical effect. Their view was also reflected by the president in his conclusion on August 25, said Zhang.

The envoy also emphasized that given the above, the snapback mechanism shall not be deemed as invoked.

China is committed to upholding the efficacy of the JCPOA and the authority of the Security Council resolution, and will make relentless efforts toward the political solution of the Iranian nuclear issue, he stressed.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also denied resumption of UN sanctions against Iran, saying the UN Security Council did not take any action that would lead to the resumption of the previous sanctions against the country.

"Now they are trying to force everyone to put on 'augmented reality glasses' labeled 'made in USA' and perceive what is happening around Iran and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal) exclusively through them. But the world is not an American computer game," the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.