UN calls on US to lift Iran sanctions, extend waivers on oil trade

The United Nations has called on the United States to lift or waive its sanctions against Iran as per the 2015 nuclear agreement, and to extend the waivers regarding the trade in oil with the country.

UN political chief Rosemary DiCarlo made the remarks in an address to a Security Council meeting on Monday on non-proliferation (implementation of resolution 2231), which endorses the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

She said restoring the JCPOA, which was abandoned by the US in 2018, remains crucial to assure the international community of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program and to allow the country to reach its full economic potential.

“The agreement on the plan and its endorsement by the [Security] Council demonstrated a unity of purpose among its participants. Both the plan and the resolution support our common objectives of nuclear non-proliferation and regional security, in a manner that delivers tangible economic benefits for the Iranian people,” she added.

She expressed regret that no agreement has been reached on reviving the JCPOA despite the “tireless efforts” of JCPOA participants since April 2021 to resolve the remaining differences.

The UN official emphasized that lasting peace and security for all member states depend on dialogue and cooperation, saying, “We encourage all parties and the United States to resume their efforts to resolve the outstanding issues lest the gains achieved by the plan after years of painstaking efforts be completely lost.”

Pointing to the “shrinking” space for diplomacy, the top UN official said since the last meeting of the Security Council on Iran’s nuclear program, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported on the Islamic Republic’s intention to install new centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear facility and to produce more uranium enriched up to 60% at the nuclear site.

Iran in November started enriching uranium to the purity level of 60% at its Fordow nuclear facility after it officially informed the IAEA of its decision.

Tehran said the move was a strong message to the latest anti-Iran resolution passed by the IAEA’s Board of Governors, which criticized the country for what it called a lack of cooperation with the agency. The resolution was put forward by the United States, Britain, France and Germany, in continuation of their political pressures on Iran. Russia and China voted against it.

Spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said on Saturday that the country’s enrichment of uranium has officially reached the purity level of 60 percent in accordance with a December 2020 parliamentary law seeking to accelerate the development of the Iranian nuclear program.

• AEOI spox: Iran's uranium enrichment officially reaches 60% purity level

He added that the parliamentary law has “provided good conditions for the country and today our [uranium] enrichment has officially reached 60% in accordance with this law.”

Further in her remarks, Dicarlo said the IAEA has re-iterated that Iran’s decision to cease implementation of its JCPOA nuclear-related commitments has affected its safeguards activities and once again called on Iran to reverse the steps it has taken since July 2019.

In May 2019, a year after the US withdrew from the JCPOA, Iran started to take “remedial measures” by reducing its commitments as per the JCPOA after the European parties to the deal — France, Germany and Britain — failed to fulfill their commitments by confronting the US’s unilateral sanctions.

• Iran to continue remedial nuclear measures until West changes illegal approach: Top security official

Tehran began to gradually remove a cap set in the JCPOA on its nuclear activities at bi-monthly intervals. At the time, Iran also maintained that if the Iranian economy was shielded from sanctions, it would reverse its nuclear decision.

‘UN examining information on claims about Iran drone exports’

Dicarlo also said the UN has received letters from Ukraine, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States concerning the alleged transfers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Iran to Russia to be used in the war in Ukraine and noted that the five countries asked that an inspection be conducted.

“The [UN] Secretariat is examining the available information, and any findings will be reported to the [Security] Council, as appropriate, in due course,” she said.

Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said at the meeting that the allegations about deliveries of drones by Iran to Russia for use in Ukraine are "patently concocted and false."

The permanent representative of Iran also denied claims that the country had supplied UAVs for use in the Russia's war on Ukraine while Moscow has also expressed its serious concerns regarding the requests of these member states.

Both Iran and Russia have repeatedly denied claims that Tehran has provided Moscow with drones to be used in the Ukraine war.

The anti-Iran claims first emerged in July, with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan alleging that Washington had received “information” indicating that the Islamic Republic was preparing to provide Russia with “up to several hundred drones, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline” for use in the war.

• Kiev offers no proof of alleged 'Russian use' of Iranian drones in Ukraine war: Iran defense chief

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian once again on Monday rejected the baseless allegations, stressing that the propaganda regarding the use of Iranian drones in the war has no objective but to cover up the West’s bids to fan the flames of war and violence in Ukraine.

Such claims are made against Iran under the circumstances that billions of dollars of different types of weapons from Western countries have been sent to Ukraine to prolong the war, the top Iranian diplomat pointed out.

JCPOA restoration ‘only way’ for Iran to reap full benefits: EU

Addressing the same Security Council meeting, Deputy Head of the European Union delegation to the United Nations Silvio Gonzato said the bloc continues to recognize that Iran has faced and continues facing “very serious negative economic consequences” following Washington’s move to unilateral withdraw from the JCPOA and re-impose previously lifted US unilateral sanctions, expressing his deep regret in this regard.

Speaking on behalf of the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, he added that the US has imposed additional nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, including in the area of oil and petrochemicals since June.

“The restoration of the JCPOA remains the only way for Iran to reap the full benefits of the JCPOA and reach its full economic potential as it will result in a comprehensive sanctions’ lifting that will encourage greater cooperation by the entire international community with Iran,” Gonzato added.

China calls for 'diplomatic wisdom', welcomes Iran’s flexible stance

Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Geng Shuang stressed the need for “diplomatic wisdom” and said his country welcomes Iran’s recent flexible stance on outstanding issues pertaining to the JCPOA revival.

He added that the United States and other relevant parties should seize the opportunity and meet Iran halfway.

The Chinese diplomat said that the US’s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA and the pressure applied on Iran have triggered the ongoing crisis over Iran’s nuclear program.

Referring to the JCPOA revival talks, he expressed regret that negotiations on resuming compliance have been stalled again since August.

“We must uphold the basic principles of fairness,” the Chinese representative said.

He urged the United States, as the party that caused the crisis, to be aware of its own responsibility and take the lead in adopting concrete steps by lifting all unilateral sanctions against Iran.

The Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2015 between Tehran and the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and China during the presidency of Barack Obama.

The talks to salvage the agreement kicked off in Vienna in April last year, with the intention of examining Washington’s seriousness in rejoining the deal and removing anti-Iran sanctions.

Iran maintains that it is necessary for the other side to offer some guarantees that it will remain committed to any agreement that is reached.

The talks remain stalled since August, as Washington continues to insist on its hard-nosed position of not removing all sanctions that were slapped on the Islamic Republic by the previous US administration.

US withdrawal, anti-Iran sanctions root causes of issues: Russia

Meanwhile, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA and its subsequent violations of the provisions through the imposition of unilateral sanctions against Iran are the root causes of issues pertaining to the Iranian nuclear activities.

He added that the US actions have chipped away at the bases of the JCPOA and all steps undertaken by Tehran subsequently were a mere reaction to Washington’s pressure.

“We see no insurmountable problems preventing restoration of the JCPOA,” Nebenzya said, adding that attempts to exert pressure on Iran and to spiral tensions around the JCPOA are liable to completely negate prospects for restoring the deal. 

The Russian diplomat called on the parties to show strategic restraint and pragmatism and to focus on reaching compromise.

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