LONDON, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom (UK) has imposed sanctions on over 70 Iranian individuals and organizations with links to Iran's nuclear program, the British government announced on Tuesday.
The sanctions include travel bans, freezing assets and disqualifying directors.
"UK sanctions have been applied to 71 individuals and entities," said the British government. "Iranian financial institutions and energy companies are amongst those sanctioned, as well as Iranian figures and entities involved in facilitating the nuclear program."
The move came after Britain, France and Germany (the E3) issued a joint statement on Aug. 28 to initiate a "snapback process" defined in Resolution 2231 for Iran's "non-compliance with the JCPOA."
The mechanism allowed for the re-imposition of UN sanctions within 30 days if Iran was deemed in breach of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
The UN Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution that would have extended the sanctions relief for Iran.
Iran rejects the reinstatement of UNSC sanctions on Sunday. In a letter addressed to his foreign counterparts, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said attempts by European countries and the United States to revive terminated UNSC resolutions against Iran constitute a "unilateral rewriting" of international law.
He also said that the snapback procedure invoked by the E3 and the United States was "null and void," citing Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and the European countries' failure to meet their obligations under the deal.
He stressed that Iran would continue to defend its sovereign rights and legitimate interests while remaining open to "genuine negotiations on an equal footing." ■
