Britain, France, Germany urge Iran to allow atomic site access, reject U.S. efforts to trigger sanctions
Britain, France, and Germany on Friday said they would not support U.S. efforts to trigger the reimposition of United Nations sanctions on Iran while the group demands Tehran provide access to its atomic energy sites.
As part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Iran accepted restrictions on its nuclear development in exchange for some sanctions on the country. A weapons embargo on Iran — set to expire this October — was also included in the agreement.
The U.S., which pulled out of the deal in 2018, has called for an extension of the embargo and has threatened to launch a resurgence of all U.N. sanctions in a move to gain backing from the U.N. Security Council to extend the arms embargo.
“We firmly believe that any unilateral attempt to trigger U.N. sanctions snapback would have serious adverse consequences in the U.N. Security Council,” the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, otherwise known as the E3, said in a statement Friday.
“We would not support such a decision, which would be incompatible with our current efforts to preserve the [Iran nuclear deal],” they continued.
The U.S. said last month it is “hopeful” the 15-member U.N. Security Council will extend the embargo before it expires despite opposition from Russia and China, which both hold veto powers on the council.
On Friday, U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook reiterated that the U.S. continues to seek an arms embargo extension.
“Iran has not upheld its end of the bargain,” he told reporters. “Our focus is extending the arms embargo. That is our preferred diplomatic path, and we will be — we have drafted a resolution that we hope will win the support of the U.N. Security Council.”
Mr. Hook also said that he believes Russia would also be interested in extending the embargo.
“I think it’s in Russia’s interest to extend the arms embargo,” he said. “One of the preambular paragraphs in the Iran nuclear deal states that the deal will contribute to regional peace and stability. Iran has not upheld its end of the bargain.”
European diplomats have been racing to strike a compromise, Reuters reported, but it remains unclear if they can present an option that will please the U.S., as well as China and Russia.
The foreign ministers said they believe that the lifting of the arms embargo “would have major implications for regional security and stability.”
Their comments come as the U.N.-backed International Atomic Energy Agency approved a resolution that calls on Iran to provide agency inspectors access to sites where it is believed the country is storing nuclear material.
Iran in recent months has consistently denied inspectors access to two locations believed to house nuclear material. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi earlier this week said inspectors have sought to “clarify our questions related to possible undeclared nuclear material and nuclear-related activities.”
The country has, however, provided access to sites that are mentioned under the Iran nuclear deal, otherwise known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Friday that Iran’s moves to block IAEA access to the sites is “unacceptable and underscore the continued threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program to international peace and security.”
“As the IAEA Board made clear today, Iran must immediately comply with its IAEA safeguards obligations and provide the IAEA nothing short of full cooperation,” Mr. Pompeo said. “If Iran fails to cooperate, the international community must be prepared to take further action.”
Russia, meanwhile, rejected the approval of the resolution — which was introduced by Britain, France and Germany — and called the move “unproductive.”
The Russian ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, tweeted that his country and China had voted against the resolution.
“We believe that the resolution can be counterproductive,” Mr. Ulyanov said, while also “stressing the need for Tehran and IAEA to settle this problem without delay.”
• This story is based in part on wire reports.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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