Security Council Debates Iran Nuclear Programme amid Dispute over ‘Snapback’ Sanctions as Russian Federation, China Challenge Legality
The Security Council met today to debate Iran’s nuclear programme amid rising tensions in the Middle East, as the Russian Federation and China challenged the legality of United Nations sanctions on Tehran under the “snapback” mechanism.
The “snapback” mechanism, embedded in Council resolution 2231 (2015), allows UN sanctions on Iran to automatically return if Tehran is judged to be violating the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, agreed by Iran, China, France, Germany, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union.
If a participant in the deal notifies the Council of “significant non-performance”, a 30-day process begins. Unless the Council adopts a resolution to continue sanctions relief, the previous UN sanctions automatically return. In August 2025, France, Germany and the United Kingdom triggered this process. The Council later failed to adopt resolutions that would have preserved sanctions relief, so the mechanism ran its course and UN sanctions on Iran, including resolution 1737 (2006), were automatically reimposed on 27 September 2025.
At the outset, the representatives of the Russian Federation and China objected to holding today’s session, arguing that the “snapback” mechanism had not been activated. France, United Kingdom and the United States, however, insisted that the mechanism had been triggered and that sanctions had therefore been reinstated. The Council subsequently decided to proceed with the meeting by a vote of 11 in favour to 2 against (China, Russian Federation), with 2 abstentions (Pakistan, Somalia).
United States Says Iran Rejected Diplomacy, Urges Enforcement of Sanctions
“Today was meant to be a straightforward mandated meeting of the 1737 Committee,” said the representative of the United States, Council President for March, in his national capacity, referring to the 15-member organ’s Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), which required the subsidiary body to report to the Council every 90 days on its activities.
“Unfortunately, our Russian and Chinese colleagues continued to block this Committee’s work as part of their collaboration with the Iranian regime,” he said. He recalled that, on 19 September 2025, the Council voted against a draft resolution to extend sanctions relief for Iran, thereby triggering the snapback of UN sanctions. All UN Member States should now be implementing an arms embargo against Iran, banning the trade of missile technology and freezing financial assets as laid out in previous sanctions.
Noting that Iran had ample opportunity to negotiate in good faith and allow weapons inspections, he said Tehran refused. The 1737 Iran sanctions regime remains operational, he stressed, urging Council members to press Beijing and Moscow to allow for the appointment of a Committee Chair.
Moscow, Beijing Reject Legitimacy of ‘Snapback’ Sanctions on Iran
“We are disappointed that the majority of Council members did not muster up the courage to speak out against this flagrant violation of decisions previously taken by the Council,” said the Russian Federation’s representative. Accountability for the “lawlessness” taking place in that organ’s work falls squarely on the United States presidency and those that are following its lead.
Recalling that Washington, D.C., unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018, he said that country — along with the United Kingdom, France and Germany — cannot trigger snapback sanctions against Iran. “These countries stripped themselves of the right to invoke the snapback by their chronic violations of [the Iran nuclear deal] and resolution 2231 (2015),” he said.
“It was the United States that unilaterally withdrew from the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], which triggered the Iran nuclear crisis,” agreed China’s representative, adding that Washington, D.C., also joined Israel in pursuing aggressive military action before the recent nuclear talks had even concluded. Strongly condemning that conduct, he urged the United States to reverse its course of action immediately and work towards a negotiated solution that meets the expectations of the international community. Relevant European countries should “cease fanning the flames” of war and play an equally constructive role, he said, warning that sanctions should never become tools to serve the narrow political interests of particular countries.
The Security Council met today to debate Iran’s nuclear programme amid rising tensions in the Middle East, as the Russian Federation and China challenged the legality of United Nations sanctions on Tehran under the “snapback” mechanism.
press.un.org
Another battle field.
