Last-Minute Bid By Russia, China To Give Iran 6 More Months Fails At UN

"The United Nations, led by the so-called European 3 -- Britain, France, and Germany -- appears set to reimpose wide-ranging "snapback" sanctions on Iran after the Security Council rejected a last-minute bid by Russia and China to delay the action. Absent an extraordinary 11th-hour deal, the UN will at 8 p.m. Eastern time on September 27 reintroduce a series of measures against Iran. These include a conventional arms embargo, restrictions on activities related to ballistic missiles, a ban on reprocessing and enrichment of uranium, a global asset freeze, and travel bans on Iranian individuals and entities."

""This council does not have the necessary assurance that there is a clear path to a swift diplomatic solution," Barbara Woodward, Britain's ambassador to the UN, said on September 26. "UN sanctions, targeting Iranian proliferation, will be reimposed this weekend." Tehran immediately blasted the UN action. Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told the Security Council that the "pursuit of the so-called 'snapback' is clear and consistent -- it is legally void, politically reckless, and procedurally flawed." He said Tehran will "never bow" to pressure on its nuclear program, which it says is strictly for civilian purposes, and insisted the country is not seeking nuclear weapons. Despite his defiant remarks, Aragchi left the door open to further talks during the final 24 hours before sanctions are to take effect."

The UN is set to reimpose wide-ranging snapback sanctions on Iran at 8 p.m. Eastern on September 27 unless an extraordinary last-minute deal is reached. Measures to be reintroduced include a conventional arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile-related activities, a ban on uranium reprocessing and enrichment, a global asset freeze, and travel bans on specified Iranian individuals and entities. Britain said the council lacks assurance of a clear path to a swift diplomatic solution, prompting reinstatement of sanctions. Iran denounced the move as legally void and politically reckless, insisted its nuclear program is civilian, and left open limited diplomatic engagement before the deadline. Punitive measures had been lifted under a 2015 deal that European signatories say Iran has violated.

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