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Iran Issues Statement on US Bid to Reinstate UN Sanctions

September 20, 2020

What follows is the full text of the statement released on Sunday, September 20, 2020.

The United States falsely claims that the UN Security Council sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran are back in effect at a time when the Council has basically rejected a demand by the US, as a non-signatory to the JCPOA, to trigger the trend of reinstating the sanctions. Moreover, such a trend never got started in the first place to produce a result today. The US secretary of state himself knows well that his claim regarding the reinstatement of UN Security Council sanctions is groundless and invalid and lacks any legal effect. Therefore, he, using his own notorious method, tries to intimidate other countries by threatening to slap international sanctions on them, which is the best testament to the United States’ admission of failure in its effort at the UN Security Council.

As the Islamic Republic of Iran has reiterated time and again, the US regime is the biggest threat to world peace and security. This reality had never been exposed as much it has today when the US is overtly threatening and intimidating the world and ignores UN Security Council resolutions.

In 2018, when the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in breach of clearly stipulated international regulations, and waived any right to use the mechanisms inserted in the accord and in Resolution 2231, it (the US) hoped it would bring Iran to the dilemma of submission or collapse by using the so-called ‘maximum pressure’ strategy.

However, two years on since then, the US is now more isolated than ever in advancing the project of portraying Iran as a security threat. Frustrated at having failed to build a consensus against Iran, the US has turned to bullying and holding the international community to ransom. At a time when almost all members of the UN Security Council have straightforwardly rejected the United States’ ludicrous approach vis-à-vis UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the US regime is, in line with its unilateral and force-oriented policy, threatening to impose sanctions against world countries for their compliance with international regulations.

The Islamic Republic of Iran regards the US secretary of state’s wrathful statements as measures which are only good for domestic political use and which are the result of weakness and disappointment and hearing repeated “No’s” from the international community in recent months as well as back-to-back defeats against Iran’s active diplomacy. Iran recommends the US president not isolate himself and his country at the international level any further by consulting people who are unfamiliar with the global situation.

The approach adopted by the current US regime amounts to a big danger to international peace and security as well as an unprecedented threat to the UN and the Security Council. This time, the US secretary of state has not only ridiculed all principles of international law and the UN Charter, but also challenges the international community officially and openly, and converts his government’s bullying and recalcitrance from behind-the-scenes actions into an openly flagrant move.

The Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes that if the US makes any move in line with these threats, whether alone or in cahoots with the few cronies of its own, it will be met with serious reaction and will be responsible for all the dangerous consequences of its move.

E3 Says US Claim about Iran Sanctions Has No Legal Effect

IFP Editorial Staff

September 20, 2020

E3 Says US Claim about Iran Sanctions Has No Legal Effect

“Today marks 30 days since the US sought to initiate the ‘snapback mechanism’, which allows a participant to the JCPOA to seek the re-imposition of the multilateral sanctions against Iran lifted in 2015 in accordance with resolution 2231, adopted by the UN Security Council,” they said in the statement.

“France, Germany and the United Kingdom (“the E3”) note that the US ceased to be a participant to the JCPoA following their withdrawal from the deal on 8 May, 2018.

Consequently, the purported notification under paragraph 11 of UNSCR 2231 (2015), received from the United States of America and circulated to the UN Security Council Members, is incapable of having legal effect,” it added.

“It flows from this that any decisions and actions which would be taken based on this procedure or on its possible outcome would also be incapable of having any legal effect,” the statement noted.

“We remain guided by the objective of upholding the authority and integrity of the United Nations Security Council. The E3 remains committed to fully implementing UNSCR 2231 (2015) by which the JCPOA was endorsed in 2015. We have worked tirelessly to preserve the nuclear agreement and remain committed to do so,” the foreign ministers added.

In a separate statement, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said the “US unilaterally ceased participation in JCPOA on 8 May, 2018, and has subsequently not participated in any JCPOA-related activities.”

“It cannot therefore be considered to be a JCPOA participant State and cannot initiate the process of reinstating UN sanctions under the UN Security Council Resolution 2231,” he added in a tweet, which included a link to his statement.

The UK embassy in Tehran also tweeted on Sunday that the E3 remains committed to fully implementing UNSCR 2231 (2015) by which the JCPOA was endorsed in 2015.

US Ballyhoo over Iran Sanctions ‘Much Ado about Nothing’

IFP Editorial Staff

September 20, 2020

No Change in Iran’s Borders as Karabakh Peace Deal Unfolds: Spokesman

Speaking in a weekly press conference on Sunday, Saeed Khatibzadeh said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has been a major advocate of the reimposition of sanctions on Iran, lives in a fantasy world.

“Mr. Pompeo’s dream world will not have any more security [than the real world], either. Since the day Pompeo decided to enter his world of deception, lies and hatred, he brought insecurity to his own dream world as well,” said the spokesman.

He said the United States’ claim that international sanctions against Iran are back in force as of September 20 is baseless and ineffective.

“The three European countries, which are definite allies of the US, once again wrote a letter this morning in which they said that not only does the United States not have the right to bring back sanctions, but its decision in that regard has no legal effect,” he said.

He then said whatever Washington does only foments insecurity in the world.

“The United States’ actions have only brought insecurity, war, violence and bloodshed to the world,” said Khatibzadeh.

“The evil heritage of years of US presence in different parts of the world, especially, the West Asia region, from oppressed Afghanistan to oppressed Palestine, has been nothing but a failed and destructive heritage for the people in the region,” he added.

“What the US is seeking is yet another instance of bullying, which will be added to the list of Washington’s acts of bullying. It’s much ado about nothing,” he noted.

He noted that the US is seeing tough days at the moment. “I believe the US is passing through its most bitter days and hours. The United States itself chose to stand on the wrong side of history. The US has forgotten its responsibilities.”

The spokesman urged the US to make good on its obligations and return to the world community.

“Tehran’s message to Washington is clear: Rejoin the international community, comply with your commitments and stop being defiant and recalcitrant. In that case, the international community will accept you,” he said.

He said the US isolation in the Security Council shows how hollow is Washington’s power. “It must have now received the world’s message: World is changing and the first victim is the US itself, thanks to Trump and associates’ short-sighted policies.”

“Allied, independent and free powers like Iran are emerging in world,” he added.

Washington said last month that it had triggered a mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal to snap back all UN sanctions on Tehran. However, 13 out of the 15 UN Security Council members rejected the US bid. They argued that Washington is in no position to call for renewed sanctions, as it unilaterally withdrew from the accord two years ago.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Saturday night that the 30-day period has come to an end, and now the US is going to reimpose the UN sanctions on Iran.

Iran Can Set Fire to All US Interests in Region: IRGC Chief

IFP Editorial Staff

September 20, 2020

Speaking in a televised interview on Saturday night, Major General Hossein Salami underlined the Iranian military is strong enough to confront the US.

“We have thousands of military brigades on the ground which, if they move, will wreck all US interests,” said General Salami, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

“We are capable of capturing and sweeping all US bases simultaneously,” he noted.

“The Iranian nation shouldn’t worry about Trump’s bluffs [about waging a war against Iran],” the top general underlined.

“We won’t trigger wars, but we have developed the capability to chase and destroy the enemy both under the ground and in the skies,” he added.

He then noted that the US political system should pay the price for Washington’s assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, and Iran will definitely take revenge.

US Claim That Iran Sanctions Reinstated ‘Baseless’: FM Zarif

IFP Editorial Staff

September 20, 2020

US in No Position to Set Conditions for Rejoining JCPOA: Iran

In a Saturday interview on state TV, Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined the so-called snapback mechanism is not mentioned, either, in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The top diplomat noted that neither the word “trigger” nor “snapback” has been mentioned in Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA.

“The Americans pulled a propaganda trick at first because neither the American people, nor reporters and, as it seems, not even Mr. Pompeo himself has read Resolution 2231 and he mostly refers to comments by [John] Kerry and [Barack] Obama,” said the Iranian foreign minister.

“There is no snapback [mechanism] in Resolution 2231,” he noted.
The top diplomat underscored that Washington’s claim that Iran sanctions will be back in effect is unfounded.

“The Americans know that this will not happen,” he said.

Zarif noted that the United States’ argument is a “childish” one as it has withdrawn from the JCPOA and cannot use any of its provisions.

He said the US uses sanctions as a lever against countries, and that most parts of the world are affected by Washington’s sanctions.

Parkour Becoming All the Rage in Iran

IFP Editorial Staff

September 19, 2020

Parkour Becoming All the Rage in Iran 20

The word Parkour is derived from the French word “parcourt” which refers to traversing. It means the art of movement in the simplest, fastest way possible.

With a focus on speed and simplicity, parkour’s goal is to teach everyone to jump over obstacles in one’s life. It is a fascinating sport with many fans.

That said, some citizens confuse parkour with another activity: they consider all the gymnastics-based performances done in the streets to be parkour; while most of them are in fact part of a sport called free-running.

Despite its great popularity and professional athletes, parkour hasn’t yet found a proper place in Iran.

There are many problems in the way of this sport. The absence of proper clubs and bodies, as well as the lack of material and non-material support, are enough to discourage the parkourists. These obstacles, however, don’t hinder their activity: they continue to work with more motivation than ever.

What follows are YJC’s photos of Iranian parkour athletes:

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