Sawt Falasteen - Iran sanctions look set to return as last-ditch UN push fails

European powers have urged Iran to reverse a series of steps it took after Israel and the United States bombed its nuclear sites in June.

China and Russia's effort to buy time for diplomacy was rejected by nine countries against four in favor.

"UN sanctions, targeting Iranian proliferation, will be reimposed this weekend," said Britain's ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward.

"We stand ready to continue discussions with Iran on a diplomatic solution to address international concerns about its nuclear program. In turn, this could allow for the lifting of sanctions in the future."

Complaining that Iran has not complied with a landmark but moribund deal, the Europeans have triggered a return of sweeping UN sanctions -- notably on its banking and oil sectors -- that are set to take effect at the end of Saturday.

China and Russia at the Security Council session on Friday pushed a resolution that would have given another half year for talks, or until April 18, 2026.

"We had hoped that us, that European colleagues in the US, would think twice, and that they would opt for the path of diplomacy and dialog, instead of their clumsy blackmail," the Russian deputy ambassador to the UN told the council prior to the vote.

"Did Washington, London, Paris, Berlin make any compromises? No, they did not."

One diplomat, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said late Thursday that the Europeans believed they had "done everything to try to move things," but that Iran did not offer the desired flexibility.

France's ambassador to the UN Jerome Bonnafort told the council all sides had been "trying to find, until the very last moment, a solution."

France -- speaking for itself, Germany and Britain -- has told Iran it must allow full access to UN nuclear inspectors, immediately resume nuclear negotiations and offer transparency on highly enriched uranium, the whereabouts of which has been the subject of speculation.

- 'Illegal and irresponsible' -

The 2015 deal, negotiated during Barack Obama's presidency, lifted sanctions in return for Iran drastically scaling back its controversial nuclear work.

President Donald Trump in his first term withdrew from the deal and imposed sweeping unilateral US sanctions, while pushing the Europeans to do likewise.

The Chinese and Russian draft resolution, in a reference to the United States, would call on all initial parties to the deal to "immediately resume negotiations."

On Thursday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his British counterpart, Yvette Cooper, to discuss the row.

Araghchi "strongly criticized the position of the three European countries as unjustified, illegal and irresponsible," the Iranian foreign ministry said.

Steve Witkoff, Trump's real estate friend and roving envoy who had been negotiating with Iran until Israel attacked, said Wednesday that Iran was in a "tough position" but also held out hope for a solution.

"I think that we have no desire to hurt them. We have a desire, however, to either realize a permanent solution and negotiate around snapbacks," Witkoff told the Concordia summit on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

"If we can't, then snapbacks will be what they are. They're the right medicine," Witkoff said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech to the United Nations on Friday demanded the reimposition of the sanctions, calling on the world to "remain vigilant" on Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran has long contended that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, pointing to an edict by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and US intelligence has not concluded that the country has decided to build a nuclear weapon.

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R.Halabi--SF-PST