News - Middle East: Iran’s Parliament speaker has warned that any attempt to act against the Islamic Republic under the so-called snapback mechanism will face a strong and reciprocal response from Tehran.

“We declare that if any country takes action against Iran based on these illegal[ly re-imposed] resolutions, it will be met with a reciprocal response from Iran, and the three European countries behind this unlawful move will also see our reaction,” Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said at an open session of Parliament on Sunday.

The remarks came after the US, along with the UK, Germany, and France (collectively known as the E3), declared the re-imposition of the anti-Iran UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the associated sanctions, which had been lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal.

Qalibaf reiterated that the Islamic Republic considers the snapback mechanism and the reinstatement of previously terminated UN Security Council sanctions to be illegal.

Referring to the positions of Russia and China, he said both permanent members have explicitly declared in official statements that these resolutions carry no obligation, and accordingly, Iran does not consider itself bound to comply with them, including suspending uranium enrichment.

“We believe our right to enrichment is still recognized under international law,” he added.

He also said that the sanctions listed in the resolutions are less significant compared to US sanctions, which have already been in place since the US unlawfully withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Parliament speaker argued that the implementation of the UN sanctions faces “serious legal obstacles” at the United Nations, reiterating that Iran will deliver a “serious and reciprocal” response to any action taken under the disputed mechanism.

Last month, the E3 invoked the so-called snapback mechanism, a 30-day process to restore all anti-Iran sanctions.

Iran rejected the move as illegitimate, citing the US unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA and the European trio’s decision to align with unlawful sanctions rather than fulfilling their JCPOA obligations.

The UN Security Council restored the bans on Sunday at 0000 GMT. They will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with the Islamic Republic and target the country’s defensive missile program.

The move came nearly two days after the United States and its allies predictably vetoed a draft resolution submitted by China and Russia on delaying the so-called “snapback” mechanism inside the deal that would return the bans.

Source: Press TV