Iranian parliament seeking expulsion of 'E3' European ambassadors

TEHRAN: The Iranian presidential office has confirmed reports that the country's parliament is calling for the expulsion of the ambassadors from Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Lawmakers have justified this as an appropriate response to the reinstatement of UN sanctions initiated by the three European countries.
However, the government currently sees no need for such action.
'Members of parliament naturally have the right to express their opinion, but expulsion is not currently on the government's agenda,' Vice-President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah was quoted as saying by the media.
The final decision in any case would lie with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. According to the Iranian constitution, Khamenei has the final say in strategic matters.
The so-called E3 states triggered the mechanism for reintroducing UN sanctions last month. These will come into force on Monday.
This means that the punitive measures that had been lifted under an international agreement in 2015 will be reactivated.
The ambassadors to the E3 states have meanwhile been recalled to Tehran for consultations.
The parliament, which is dominated by hardliners, is already working on a draft law that would see the country withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). For this step, too, the parliament would need Khamenei's approval.
Meanwhile, Russia does not recognise the return of United Nations sanctions on Iran, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters on Wednesday when asked if Moscow would enforce the measures.
The United Nations reinstated an arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme on Saturday evening, following a process - known as snapback - triggered by European powers. Tehran has warned that the move would be met with a harsh response.
Britain, France and Germany initiated the snapback process at the UN Security Council over accusations Iran had violated a 2015 deal that aimed to stop it from developing a nuclear bomb. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.
'We do not recognise the snapback as coming into force,' he said at a press conference to mark the start of Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council. - dpa/Reuters