ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has said that it does not favor the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decision against lifting of Iran sanctions as it risks destabilizing a region that is already mired in multiple crises, Pakistan’s UN envoy said on Friday.
A UNSC resolution aimed at halting the reimposition of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program failed Friday after weeks of last-ditch diplomatic talks appeared to break down days before the annual UN gathering of world leaders.
The resolution put forth by South Korea, the current president of the 15-member council, did not garner the support of the nine countries required to halt the series of sanctions from taking effect at the end of the month, as outlined in Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Only four countries, China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria, supported the effort, with some using the meeting to blast the European leaders for what they called an unjustified and illegal action against Iran.
“We do not favor any action which risks destabilizing a region that is already mired in multiple crises. This region cannot afford further tensions,” Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, told the council.
“We believe that even at this stage, diplomacy should be given a chance.”
Last month, France, Germany and the United Kingdom moved to trigger the “snapback mechanism,” which automatically reimposes all UN sanctions that were in effect before the nuclear deal.
Those penalties included a conventional arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile development, asset freezes, travel bans and a ban on producing nuclear-related technology. Iran is already reeling from a 12-day war with Israel and a decades-long financial crisis.
Using the snapback mechanism will likely heighten tensions between Iran and the West. It’s unclear how Iran will respond, given that in the past, officials have threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, potentially following North Korea, which abandoned the treaty in 2003 and then built atomic weapons.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Friday, emphasized its commitment to safeguarding its interests and rights, including through diplomacy, and said it reserves the right to respond appropriately to any unlawful action.
The Pakistani envoy stressed the need to continue diplomatic engagement with Iran to address any outstanding issues in a “cooperative manner, in accordance with the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the parties.
“We must prioritize this approach and never give up on a peaceful negotiated settlement. Diplomacy and intimidation do not go together,” he added.
