US to submit complaint to UNSC on Iran nuclear deal: Sources

Following a crushing defeat in the wake of Washington’s failed bid to expand an arms embargo on Iran at the United Nations Security Council, the United States is reportedly planning to submit a complaint to the 15-member body over accusations of Iran's non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, even though Washington unilaterally quit the landmark accord in 2018.

Official sources at the UN said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would likely travel to New York on Thursday and meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit the complaint that seeks a return of all UN sanctions on Iran by triggering a snapback provision in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The sources said the sanctions snapback process would be tough as Russia, China and other countries on the Security Council would challenge the legality of the US move given that Washington is no longer a signatory to the JCPOA after unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement in May 2018.

Diplomatic source tells Al-Jazeera: @SecPompeo will submit a complaint to #UNSC on Thursday, accusing #Iran of violating #nuclear deal. #JCPOA snapback in the making by #US. https://t.co/FfAJh96spp

— Habib Abdolhossein (@HAbdolhossein) August 18, 2020

Once Washington submits its complaint about Iran to the Security Council, the body has 30 days to adopt a resolution to extend sanctions relief for Tehran or else the measures would automatically snapback.

The UN Security Council almost unanimously refused on Friday to support a US-sponsored draft resolution on extending the arms embargo against Iran, which is due to expire in October under the JCPOA.

UN Security Council rejects US resolution to extend Iran arms embargo

The United Nations Security Council has rejected a US resolution to extend an arms embargo on Iran that is due to expire in October.

During the 15-member Security Council vote, the US received support only from the Dominican Republic for its anti-Iran resolution, leaving it far short of the minimum nine "yes" votes required for adoption.

Russia and China, both veto-wielding powers and parties to the JCPOA, voted against the draft resolution and the remaining 11 Security Council members, including France, Germany and Britain, abstained.

A day after the US suffered a humiliating defeat at the Security Council, US President Donald Trump pledged to use the controversial snapback technique, saying, "We'll be doing a snapback. You'll be watching it next week."

"Snapback” was envisioned in the event Iran was proven to be in violation of the JCPOA which Trump unilaterally left in May 2018.

US must end 'unilateral' Iran sanctions, return to 'correct' track of observing nuclear deal: China

China says the US should end its sanctions against Iran and return to the path of observing the JCPOA.

The US circulated a six-page memo last Thursday from State Department lawyers, claiming that the United States remained part of the 2015 Security Council Resolution 2231, and still had the right to use the snapback provision.

However, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that the United States is not a party to the JCPOA anymore and therefore cannot force the reinstatement of UN sanctions on Iran.

US in no position to invoke JCPOA snapback mechanism to reinstate UN Iran sanctions: EU

The EU says the US is not in a position to force the reinstatement of UN sanctions on Iran via the nuclear deal

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also denounced the US attempts to invoke the snapback mechanism, saying, "American snapback is illegal and unacceptable and the Americans know they cannot use snapback.”

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