ISRAEL WELCOMES COUNCIL MOVE
Israel, which opposed the 2015 deal, welcomed the decision. “The international community’s goal must remain unchanged, to prevent Iran from ever acquiring nuclear capabilities,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on X.
Algeria, China, Pakistan and Russia opposed the Council action.
2015 DEAL IN TATTERS
Western powers and Israel have long accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies. The 2015 accord has frayed since the United States withdrew in 2018 under then president Donald Trump and reimposed US sanctions.
After the US exit, Iran began stepping away from its commitments and expanded its nuclear activities. Tensions have risen further since the twelve day war between Iran and Israel in June, which derailed indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington and led Iran to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. IAEA inspectors left shortly after.
Iran late on Thursday withdrew a draft resolution at the IAEA that sought a ban on attacks against nuclear facilities following its war with Israel, citing US pressure.
In mid June, Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign against Iran, starting the war that included Israeli and US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, according to the AFP account.
During his previous term, Trump tried to trigger the JCPOA’s “snapback” mechanism in 2020 to restore UN sanctions. The attempt failed because Washington had already quit the deal in 2018.
European powers say they have clear legal grounds to trigger snapback. Iran disputes this and has threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty if snapback is enforced.
