UN Security Council To Vote On Delaying Revival Of Iran Sanctions On Friday

The United Nations Security Council will be voting on Friday on a resolution proposed by Russia and China to delay the reimposition of sanctions on Iran for six months.

According to a report by Reuters, all UN sanctions on Iran are due to be reimposed on Saturday after Britain, France and Germany triggered a 30-day process accusing Tehran of violating a 2015 deal with world powers aimed at preventing it from developing a nuclear weapon.

To pass a resolution in the 15-member UN Security Council, at least nine votes are needed and no vetoes by either Britain, France or the United States.

Reuters quoted diplomats as saying that there were likely to be a lot of abstentions from the vote and the text was unlikely to be adopted.

Britain, France and Germany

have offered to delay the imposition of sanctions on Iran till up to six months.

French President Emmanuel Macron and a US envoy on Wednesday said that Iran still had a last chance to avoid deep UN sanctions if it addresses concerns on its nuclear programme.

Meanwhile, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said he was still in touch with Iran. “I think that we have no desire to hurt them. We have a desire, however, to either realise a permanent solution and negotiate around snapbacks,” Witkoff told the Concordia summit on the sidelines of the General Assembly. “If we can’t, then snapbacks will be what they are. They’re the right medicine.”

On Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country would adjust its policies if UN sanctions were reinstated. However, he expressed hope that the sanctions would not be revived.

According to France24, Iran has long contended that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, pointing to an edict by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and US intelligence has not concluded that the country has decided to build a nuclear weapon.

However, Israel, the US and European nations have believed it could quickly pursue a bomb if it so decided.