New york: President Masoud Pezeshkian has denounced the reimposition of United Nation sanctions against the country through the so-called snapback mechanism, calling it an ‘immoral and illegal’ move. ‘The implementation of the snapback mechanism and return of sanctions, despite Iran’s compliance and opposition from Russia and China, is both immoral and illegal,’ Pezeshkian said in a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Friday. He urged the UN chief to use his position to prevent such action.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the UN Security Council voted down an effort by China and Russia to extend sanctions relief to Iran for six months under the 2015 nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). As a result, the sanctions will be reimposed on Tehran this weekend, following the termination of the JCPOA.

Pezeshkian also thanked Guterres for his efforts to promote peace and his stance on Israel’s war on Gaza, but criticized the UN Security Council for failing to take even minimal steps to stop the occupying regime’s ‘genocide’ in the besieged Palestinian territory. For his part, Guterres expressed hope that in the remaining days before the snapback mechanism’s scheduled implementation, a diplomatic solution would be found to avoid the reinstatement of sanctions.

He also referred to the organization’s attempts to condemn Israel and halt the Israeli war on Gaza, noting that hundreds of UN staff have been killed during the war.