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Russia, China End UN Monitoring Mandate
Pakistan on Thursday abstained from a UN Security Council vote on a US-sponsored resolution seeking to extend the mandate of a panel of experts assisting the council’s Iran sanctions committee .
Russia and China vetoed the resolution, ending the UNSC mandate for independent monitoring of international sanctions on Iran, reviving their argument that all UN measures on Tehran had been removed under a nuclear deal with world powers. Eleven council members voted in favour, while Pakistan and Somalia abstained .
Background on Iran Sanctions
All UN sanctions on Iran were reimposed a year ago after France, Britain, and Germany accused Tehran of violating the 2015 nuclear pact meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons. This included the return of an independent panel of experts to monitor and report to the 15-member Security Council on violations and recommend further action. However, the council has been operating without a panel of experts on Iran for the past year because it has been unable to agree on their appointment, a move that must be done by consensus .
Pakistan’s Position
Addressing the UNSC session, Pakistan’s permanent representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said Pakistan remains concerned that the consideration of the Iran nuclear issue, including by the Security Council, has become further complicated over time. “We have clearly come a long way from the spirit of cooperation and peaceful settlement of disputes that characterised the adoption of resolution 2231 more than a decade ago,” he added .
Ahmad said ongoing tensions and hostilities in the region, strikes on nuclear facilities, and continued differences amongst permanent members have added to the challenges in addressing the issue through dialogue and diplomacy. He said Pakistan continues to believe that diplomacy and dialogue remain the guiding principle for resolution of outstanding issues concerning Iran’s nuclear programme .
The ambassador reiterated Pakistan’s position that the Iran nuclear issue should be addressed through peaceful means and in accordance with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of the parties concerned. “We also lend our support to the critical role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as the technical body entrusted with implementing the respective safeguards agreement. The IAEA should ensure this important work as per its mandate, independently and without political interference,” he added .
Call for Islamabad MoU Implementation
The envoy said Pakistan continues with its efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, building upon the solid foundation provided by the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. “We call on all parties to implement the commitments agreed in the Islamabad MoU, return to the negotiating table and allow diplomacy to deliver for the sake of regional and international peace and security,” he added .
Russia-China Statement
During the UNSC meeting, Russia and China accused their Western counterparts of politicising the Security Council. “We strongly urge Western colleagues to stop their very dangerous actions on the Iran front, which threaten further complication of settling of the crisis in the Persian Gulf,” Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council. “The only way to resolve disagreements and to alleviate concerns … pertaining to the Iranian nuclear program is through political and diplomatic efforts” .
Regional Context
The United States and Israel went to war with Iran seven months ago, arguing that their aim was to stop Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018
