Iran Condemns Re-imposition of Sanctions and Vows a "Firm and Appropriate" Response

Iran has strongly condemned the re-imposition of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program, labelling the move as "unjustified" and "illegal," and promising a "firm and appropriate" reaction. This development follows the reactivation of sanctions that were lifted ten years ago under the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Iranian Condemnation and Threat of Response

The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed in an official statement on Sunday that "Re-activating canceled resolutions is a clear abuse of the legal process, and any attempt to do so is null and void." Tehran also urged countries not to implement the sanctions.

The Ministry vowed that "The Islamic Republic of Iran will firmly defend its national rights and interests, and will meet any action aimed at compromising the interests and rights of its people with a firm and appropriate response."

Context of the European Sanctions Activation

The re-imposition of sanctions occurred after the European Troika countries (Britain, France, and Germany) triggered the "Snapback Mechanism" included in the 2015 deal. These countries accused Tehran of failing to fulfill its nuclear commitments.

Before the decision came into effect on Sunday morning, Tehran recalled its ambassadors to the three countries "for consultation." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had also sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, urging him to prevent the activation of the sanctions implementation mechanism. Araghchi stressed that Tehran would not recognize any attempt to extend, reactivate, or impose UN sanctions.

Concerns Over Iran's Nuclear Program

This crisis unfolds amidst reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicating that Iran is the only non-nuclear state enriching uranium to high levels of 60%, a purity close to the technical threshold required for producing a nuclear bomb (90%).