US plans being opposed by other Security Council members
US plans are being rejected by Russia and now China both of whom are permanent members. China’s mission to the UN in an announcement said that the US had failed to meet its obligations under the Iran nuclear deal in the first place and had not right to extend an arms embargo on Iran let along trigger a snapback of all sanctions.
Background
Iran was given sanctions relief under a 2015 deal with Russia, China, Germany, the UK, France, and the US. However in 2018 the US withdrew. The deal the JCPOA allowed for a snapback of sanctions including the arms embargo if Iran violated the deal. However, as China noted the US withdrew from the JCPOA and hence did not meets its obligations under the treaty.. Indeed since it was not even part of it, the US hardly has any right to evoke its conditions.
The US position
Mike Pompeo the US Secretary of State insists that the US is still technically part of the JCPOA. It is not clear how this can be in that the US never obeyed its obligations to provide Iran relief from sanctions and then withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018. Pompeo introduces a fiction so he can argue that Iran did not keep its obligations and therefore the US can ask an extension of the sanctions or a snapback of all sanctions. The UN arms embargo is due to end in October. The US argues that it is still technically a part of the deal because it is named in the original US resolution. Of course it was then one of the signatories to JCPOA.
Brian Hook the US Special Envoy for Iran said that the US had drafted a resolution to extend the arms embargo.
US resolution appears doomed
To pass the resolution would need nine yes votes and no vetoes by the five permanent members. However, Russia has already opposed the resolution and so has China so it is bound to be vetoed even if it received nine votes. Russia wants to sell Iran defensive arms once the embargo is lifted.
The US may go ahead and and unilaterally try to enforce the embargo and continue sanctions but it will not be acting legally. The attempt to legalize such actions through the UN shows an arrogance and belief in US power that is no way justified by the reality of the situation.
