UN snapback weaker than US sanctions, Iran parliament research chief says

The head of Iran’s parliamentary research center said the real impact of reimposed UN sanctions will be far less than existing US sanctions, but warned of psychological and economic side effects if not handled carefully.

Babak Negahdari said on Saturday that activating the snapback under UN Security Council resolution 2231 effectively shuts down European diplomatic engagement with Iran.

“The real pressure on Iran has come from US secondary sanctions, which affect every part of the economy and have continued even during the nuclear deal,” he said.

Neghdari said any new UN resolution would be nearly impossible in the future due to Russian and Chinese veto power. Even if snapback moves forward, he said, those two countries could weaken its enforcement by blocking mechanisms such as funding for expert panels.

He said Europe knows the snapback can only be used once, and by triggering it now, it has shut the door on further diplomatic maneuvering.