Addressing the UNSC meeting on Resolution 223, Iravani said France, the UK chose escalation over diplomacy as they acted in alignment with the US against Iran.

Iravani was referring to the activation of the snapback mechanism in October and retuning the UN sanctions, a move from the three European powers considered by Iran, Russia and China as illegal.

On Tuesday, December 23rd, a briefing under the 'Non-Proliferation' agenda item was held at the UN Security Council hall to discuss the implementation of Resolution 2231 of 20 July 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme. The meeting was opposed by Iran, Russia and China envoys who disagreed in the first place with bringing back the resolution, which has expired.

According to him, France and Britain chose escalation over diplomacy as they acted in alignment with the US against Iran. 

He was referring to the activation of the snapback mechanism in October and retuning the UN sanctions, a move from the three European powers considered by Iran, Russia and China as illegal.

Defective or invalid procedures cannot create legal rights or obligations, Iravani further said.

Iran will never submit to intimidation, coercion, and political pressure, he said elsewhere, after declaring readiness to provide assurances as regards the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.

The Iranian ambassador further asserted that the crisis over Iran nuclear program has emerged from three factors: the unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA in 2018; the failure of European countries to comply with their commitments under the deal; and the illegal military attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran's nuclear facilities that were under IAEA safeguards and monitoring.

He added that Iran confirms Russia and China's stances in opposing the UNSC meeting to discuss the Resolution 2231, which has a clause that explicitly states its end date in October 2025, after which there is no legal basis for the continuation of obligations under that resolution.

He said that Iran acted in self-defense against the Zionist regime's attack, while it saw the Western countries' failure to condemn the aggression. 

Iravani further thanked Russia and China on behalf of Tehran for remaining compliant with the JCPOA.