The Trump administration on Thursday formally notified the United Nations of its demand for all U.N. sanctions on Iran to be restored, citing significant Iranian violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered the notification to the president of the U.N. Security Council, setting the stage for a showdown in the world body that could lead to a crisis of credibility for its most important and powerful institution. Even before Pompeo presented the council president with the notice, other members rejected the step.
None of the other council members believe the U.S. has the legal right to demand the re-imposition, or "snapback," of sanctions because President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. As such, the demand is expected to further isolate the U.S. at the U.N. and test the Security Council's credibility.