UN will take no action on U.S. demand for snapback sanctions on Iran

The president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) said on Tuesday it would not take further action on a bid by the United States to trigger snapback sanctions against Iran.

"There is no consensus in the council and thus the president is not in the position to take further action," said Indonesia's UN Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani, whose country is presiding over the Security Council in August.

The U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft, immediately released a statement condemning the Security Council's position.

 

"For months and months, we told the Council that President Trump would never allow the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism to freely buy and sell planes, tanks, missiles, and other kinds of conventional weapons," Craft said in a statement. "We reminded members of our right under Resolution 2231 to trigger snapback, and our firm intent to do so in the absence of courage and moral clarity by the Council."

Craft added that it "can be no surprise" that the U.S. has arrived at this point.

The U.S. formally notified the UN of its demand to re-impose sanctions on Iran on 20 August.

The move was immediately rejected by Britain, France and Germany, the three U.S. allies who are party to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.