UN Security Council president dismisses US sanctions move on Iran

The president of the UN Security Council, Indonesia, said on Tuesday it was “not in the position to take further action” on a US bid to trigger a return of all UN sanctions on Iran because there is no consensus in the 15-member body.

Thirteen council members expressed their opposition on Friday, arguing that Washington’s move is void given it is using a process agreed under a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that it quit two years ago.

Indonesia’s UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, council president for August, was responding to a question from Russia and China on the issue during a meeting on the Middle East.

US Ambassador Kelly Craft hit back after Djani spoke.

“Let me just make it really, really clear: The Trump administration has no fear in standing in limited company on this matter,” she told the council.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he triggered a 30-day process to reimpose all international sanctions on Iran by lodging a complaint with the council accusing Iran of breaching the 2015 nuclear deal.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said he hoped the United States would now drop its bid to snapback Iran sanctions, “which is not only illegal, but simply will not lead to achieving the result that was envisaged by the United States.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Pompeo’s “lawless bullying leaves US isolated again.”

The Security Council resoundingly rejected a US attempt on August 14 to extend an arms embargo on Iran beyond its expiration in October.