By Li Qingqing
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) President from Indonesia Dian Triansyah Djani on Tuesday dismissed the US move to “snapback” all UN sanctions on Iran, according to Fox News. That triggered a furious response from US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft, who said “other members” of the UNSC “have lost their way and now find themselves standing in the company of terrorists.”
Does opposing the bid of the US, a country that has unilaterally withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal, mean “standing in the company of terrorists?” The 2015 Iran nuclear deal between Iran and the “P5+1” – China, France, Russia, the UK, the US, plus Germany – has become an important part of the international nuclear non-proliferation system, which protects international and regional peace, and benefits multilateralism to resolve regional issues.
The deal represented the consensus of major countries. But the Trump administration runs counter to the mainstream world, and is now accusing other countries of standing with “terrorists.” Such views are ridiculous.
Thirteen of the 15 UNSC members oppose the US bid since it is using a process agreed under the Iran nuclear deal that it already left in 2018. Opposing the US bid is a legitimate decision under the framework of multilateralism. The Trump administration, however, wantonly promotes unilateralism and undermines regional peace.
The Trump administration’s rash withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal has hurt the economy and security of many European countries, since it has prevented them from doing business with Iran. And this time, even the UK, France and Germany – the US’ close allies -insisted Washington had no legal right to trigger the “snapback.”
The US’ arrogant and unilateral sanctions have affected the US itself. In terms of the Iran nuclear issue, the US deserves to be humiliated. Withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and assassinating top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani greatly harmed the peace in the Middle East and increase uncertainty.
Now, Washington is angrily labeling the countries that oppose it as supporting “terrorists,” completely unaware that it has lost its global leadership and that it has undermined the multilateral order and world stability.
However, it seems the US does not intend to stop there. Craft declared that the Trump administration “has no fear in standing in limited company on this matter.” But if the US capriciously sticks to its unilateral position, it will find that the Iran nuclear issue will never develop according to its wishes.
“The US will face opposition from more countries, including its allies, under the framework of multilateralism,” Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. American voters may also gradually realize what the US has done is jeopardizing world order.
Washington will be isolating itself, by labeling opposing countries as supporters of “terrorists,” putting it on the opposite side of most countries, and waving the big stick of sanctions everywhere.
The situation will be the same on other issues as well. The US regards itself as a so-called world leader, but Washington has constantly damaged its own credibility and leadership. The US is plunging itself into one quagmire after another, and it will find itself achieving nothing in the end.
– The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
