European leaders have warned the US that its claim to have the authority to reimpose sweeping UN-mandated sanctions on Iran has no effect in law, setting up a major legal clash that could lead to Washington imposing sanctions on its European allies. Meanwhile, Iran is threatening the United States with a “crushing response” to its efforts to reimpose sanctions. The US has called for the triggering of the so-called snapback of the sanctions that were lifted in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
But every other permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has rejected the U.S. demand.