US and allies clash with Moscow and Tehran over Iran's nuclear program at the UNSC.

Photo-REUTERS

The United States and its key European allies, including France, Britain, and Germany, clashed with Iran and Russia over Iran's nuclear program during a UN Security Council meeting on Monday. The US reiterated its commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, pledging to use all necessary means. France, Britain, Germany, and the US accused Iran of violating the 2015 nuclear deal by expanding its nuclear activities beyond agreed limits and failing to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran and Russia countered, blaming the US and its allies for maintaining economic sanctions that were supposed to be lifted under the deal and asserting that Iran's nuclear program remains under IAEA oversight.

The meeting focused on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which aimed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief. Former President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA in 2018, triggering tensions and subsequent Iranian steps to expand its nuclear capabilities. Recent IAEA reports indicated Iran's enrichment of uranium to 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, and the installation of advanced centrifuges for faster enrichment.

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US representatives at the meeting condemned Iran's actions as having no credible civilian purpose and expressed readiness to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons through diplomatic means. Meanwhile, France, Germany, and the UK, remaining parties to the JCPOA, emphasized their commitment to diplomacy while criticizing Iran's significant accumulation of highly enriched uranium beyond JCPOA limits. They also raised concerns over Iran's statements about nuclear weapon assembly capabilities.

Iran's ambassador to the UN blamed the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and the failure of European parties to honor their commitments for the current impasse. He defended Iran's nuclear activities as peaceful and subject to rigorous IAEA monitoring, asserting Iran's right to halt its JCPOA commitments under ongoing sanctions pressure. The ambassador reaffirmed Iran's rejection of nuclear weapons and called for the JCPOA's full restoration through the lifting of sanctions.

Russia echoed Iran's criticisms of US sanctions and urged all parties, including the US and European nations, to return to negotiations in Vienna to restore the nuclear deal. The European Union's foreign policy chief reiterated a compromise proposal for the US to rejoin the JCPOA and for Iran to fully comply with its nuclear obligations, emphasizing the agreement's importance in preventing a broader nuclear crisis.

Overall, the Security Council meeting underscored deep divisions over Iran's nuclear program, reflecting ongoing challenges in diplomatic efforts to revive and uphold the JCPOA amid geopolitical tensions and differing interpretations of compliance.