TEHRAN — Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s permanent representative to the Vienna-based international organizations, says those who don’t comply with sunset provisions of Annex B of Resolution 2231 cannot be recognized as a JCPOA participant.

“Annex B of resolution 2231 is a trap for US,” Ulyanov tweeted on Monday. “If US is a #JCPOA participant, it cannot question current provisions on arms embargo. If Wash. tries to revise decisions on arms embargo, it becomes yet another (one of many) reasons to reject US ridiculous claims to be a participant.”

“US hopes to retain rights of a #JCPOA participant. Groundless. Not only b/c of withdrawal from #IranDeal,” he wrote, adding, “According to Annex B of res.2231 participation of China, France, Germany, RF, UK and US in JCPOA is contingent upon compliance with “sunset” provisions, incl. arms embargo.”

He further explained, “In other words those who doesn’t comply with sunset provisions of Annex B of resolution 2231 can not be recognised to be as #JCPOA participant by definition.”

“This is dispute-ending point forever,” the Russian diplomat concluded.

Two years after the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, the Trump administration is looking to extend a UN ban on conventional arms sales to and from Iran, a strategy designed to kill the deal for good.

In a May 9 statement marking the second anniversary of the Donald Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledged to “exercise all diplomatic options” to extend the UN ban on conventional arms sales to and from Iran beyond its current expiry date on October 18.

In recent weeks, Russia has leveled strong criticism against the U.S. for trying to kill the deal, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

On Saturday, Ulyanov advised Washington to read the text of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 more carefully.

“#US mistakenly believes that para 10&11 of #UNSC res. 2231 allow US to invoke SnapBack to restore #UN #sanctions against #Iran,” Ulyanov said via Twitter. “US partners need to read the text more carefully. Both paras clearly indicate that it can be done only through the procedures specified in JCPOA.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Thursday that no country is allowed to implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions selectively.

Ryabok was openly referring to Resolution 2231 that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal but the U.S. violated it by quitting the JCPOA.

“No one is allowed to implement UN Security Council resolutions selectively and extremely fragmentarily,” Ryabkov said.

The actions of the United States to extend the arms embargo and launch the process of returning sanctions against Iran are “cynical” and could lead to a crisis in the UN Security Council, the top Russian diplomat added.

MH/PA