Russia Not Recognizing The Implementation Of UN Sanctions Against Iran

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzya. (UN Photo/Manuel Elvis)

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said his country did not recognize the re-imposition of UN sanctions on Iran, when asked if Moscow would enforce these measures.

The United Nations reimposed its arms embargoes and other sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program on Saturday night last week, following a process - known as a snapshotback - triggered by European powers.

The move led Tehran to warn him that it would give a firm response.

"We do not recognize that the snapshot is taking effect," he told a news conference to mark the start of Russia's term of office as President of the UN Security Council for October.

"We will live in two parallel realities, because for some people, recovery occurs, for us not. It creates a problem. How we will get out of this situation - we'll see," said Ambassador Nebenzya.

It is known that Britain, France, and Germany started a snapshotback process on the UN Security Council on charges that Iran had violated a 2015 deal aimed at stopping it from developing a nuclear bomb. Iran denies it is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

The end of the 2015 nuclear deal originally agreed by Iran, Britain, Germany, France, the United States, Russia, and China could exacerbate tensions in the Middle East, just months after Israel and the US bombed Iran's nuclear site.

"This development is truly full of large escalations around Iran, as it opens the door to countries wishing to end Iran's nuclear program," Ambassador Nebenzya said, referring to military action by Israel and the United States in June.

With the return of UN sanctions, Iran will again be subject to an arms embargo and a ban on all uranium reprocessing and enrichment activities, as well as all activities related to ballistic missiles capable of launching nuclear weapons.

Other sanctions to be reinstated include travel bans on dozens of Iranian citizens, asset freezes against dozens of people and entities, as well as any supply ban that could be used in the country's nuclear program.