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Security Council Fails to Adopt Resolution that Would Continue Iran Sanctions Relief

Meetings Coverage
Security Council

10,001st Meeting

SC/16175
19 September 2025

The Security Council today failed to adopt a draft resolution that would have continued United Nations sanctions relief as contemplated by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, after France, Germany and the United Kingdom triggered the process to reimpose sanctions — often referred to as a "snapback" process — by asserting Tehran's significant non-performance of its Plan commitments.

Raising a point of order before the vote, the representative of the Russian Federation said that there were "no legal or political or procedural reasons" to invoke the snapback mechanism under resolution 2231 (2015).  Stating that the United Kingdom, France and Germany are "chronic violators" of both that resolution and the Plan, he called the process "a clumsy performance aimed at creating a fake parallel reality".  Those countries, he stressed, are neglecting diplomacy, instead preferring "the language of blackmail and intimidation".

Echoing this concern, the representative of China warned that "hastily pushing for a vote on the draft resolution might exacerbate confrontation", pointing to "major discrepancies concerning the invocation of the snapback mechanism among all parties within the Council".

The representative of the United Kingdom rejected those concerns, stressing that the decision of France, Germany and her country to trigger the snapback mechanism is entirely legal, justified and consistent with the requirements of resolution 2231 (2015).  "A notification by a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action participant State of an issue that the Plan's participant believes constitutes significant non-performance of commitments" is all that is required to trigger this process, she said.

For his part, France's representative said that since 2019 Iran has chosen to stop implementing its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and has escalated its nuclear programme.  As documented by successive reports of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tehran has exceeded all limits established by the Plan.  Iran has also imposed restrictions on the Agency's verification mechanisms, resulting in lost continuity of knowledge regarding huge aspects of its nuclear programme.

"It's clear that the escalation is continuing," he stressed, which threatens regional stability, international peace and security and the integrity of the international non-proliferation regime.  Stressing that the Council "would not be assuming its responsibility" if it was to remove the Iranian nuclear issue from its agenda, he said:  "So we have to continue with the snapback procedure."  He added, however, that "our hand remains outstretched to find a negotiated solution".

Then, by a vote of 4 in favour (Algeria, China, Pakistan, Russian Federation) to 9 against — with 2 abstentions (Guyana, Republic of Korea) — the draft resolution was not adopted as it failed to obtain the required number of votes.  Had it been, the text would have seen the Council decide that certain sanctions contained in relevant resolutions would remain terminated.

Sanctions Will Be Reimposed without Further Council Action

"The practical effect of this vote is that — absent any further action by the Council — the pre-2015 UN sanctions on Iran are reimposed, following the end of the 30-day snapback period on September 27," said the representative of the United States.  However, she added that "our vote on this resolution does not impede the possibility of real diplomacy, despite any statements to the contrary". Emphasizing that the sanctions to be reimposed are "not arbitrary" — but, rather, "narrowly scoped" to address the threat posed by Iran's nuclear, missile and conventional arms programmes — she said that their return "does not preclude later removal through diplomacy".

Similarly, the representative of the United Kingdom underscored her country's commitment to finding a diplomatic solution.  "We are ready for further engagements diplomatically in the next week and beyond to seek to resolve differences," she said, noting that her country had offered Iran a chance to extend resolution 2231 (2015) if it resumed cooperation with the IAEA, addressed concerns over its uranium stockpile and re-engaged seriously in negotiations.  "Iran has so far failed to take these steps," she noted with regret, warning that adoption would have "permanently terminated six Council resolutions on Iran's nuclear programme — removing this important issue from the Council's agenda."

With the overarching objective being to "ensure that Iran will never acquire a nuclear weapon", the representative of Denmark said that her delegation voted no on the text.  Denmark supports the snapback process as a consequence of Iran's non-compliance, while remaining "fully committed to a diplomatic solution", she said, urging Tehran to return to the negotiating table in good faith.

Slovenia's delegate also called on Iran to return to the negotiating table, restore full cooperation with IAEA and recommit to pursuing its nuclear programme solely for peaceful purposes.  The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was "rightly seen as a landmark multilateral achievement", he said.  However, since 2018, the deal has "struggled for credibility" amid years of non-compliance, while the agreement's prospects were further diminished with the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June 2025.  He added that his delegation voted against today's text to "send a clear and deliberate message — a reset is urgently needed".

Some Members Blame United States, Many Urge Diplomacy

Yet, China's delegate said that the "current difficult situation" concerning the Iranian nuclear issue "stems from the United States' unilateral withdrawal from, and undermining the proper implementation of, the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]".  He emphasized that the United States' policy of "maximum pressure" deprived Iran of the economic dividends provided for under the Plan and "left Iran with no choice but to scale back its compliance with the agreement".  Noting that his country's' delegation voted in favour of the resolution — as Beijing supports the termination of the Council's sanctions on Iran — he warned that the attempt to activate snapback sanctions "may even bring about catastrophic consequences that are impossible to foresee and forfeit years of diplomatic efforts in one stroke".

Also pointing to the actions of the United States as a trigger for this crisis, the representative of the Russian Federation noted that his delegation rejected attempts by European States to trigger the snapback process.  Further, he clarified that his delegation supported the sole operative paragraph of the resolution preserving the lifting of UN sanctions on Iran.  Pointing to a draft resolution that will be put forward by his country and China, which will propose a technical extension of resolution 2231 (2015) for six months, he urged "all reasonable Council members to support this" when it is put to a vote.

Voicing support for the technical extension of resolution 2231 (2015) to create space for political engagement, Pakistan's delegate stressed:  "The region cannot afford further tensions."  His country voted in favour of today's resolution, he said, stressing that all issues concerning Iran's nuclear programme must be resolved by peaceful means.

Adding to that, the representative of Algeria welcomed the recent agreement signed between Iran and IAEA as a positive step towards resuming cooperation and honouring commitments, stressing that "there is no military solution".  He urged the Council to remain focused on the maintenance of international peace of security, noting that implementing additional restrictions "would be counterproductive" and risk escalation.

Many speakers — including the representatives of Guyana, Panama and Somalia — echoed the need to find a diplomatic solution, with the representative of Sierra Leone stating:  "The priority now is to use the available period to restore compliance and reduce risk."  Welcoming Iran's recent steps as a positive statement of intent, the representative of Greece underscored that these steps need to be followed by tangible commitments.  "This vote does not mark the end of the road," she said, calling for redoubled efforts to resolve this issue diplomatically.

The representative of the Republic of Korea, Council President for September, spoke in his national capacity to note that today's vote was held pursuant to the terms of resolution 2231 (2015).  While "today's outcome is not the best future" that the resolution envisioned, he observed that "nothing is over yet".  Rather, now is "precisely the time for intense diplomacy to achieve a peaceful and diplomatic solution of the Iranian nuclear issue", he stressed — adding that his delegation abstained from voting to encourage further diplomacy.

'Door for Diplomacy Is Not Closed', Says Iran

Iran's representative, for his part, thanked Algeria, China, Pakistan and the Russian Federation for their votes today, stating that they "rejected the politics of coercion and upheld the principles of diplomacy, justice and law".  He also commended Guyana for its "courage in resisting pressure".  These votes, he added, send a clear message:  "Conflict must be resolved through dialogue, not through the blunt instruments of pressure and intimidation."  Iran's position has been "clear and consistent", he stressed:  "Resolution 2231 (2015) must be implemented exactly as agreed; its timelines are not suggestions — they are binding commitments, painstakingly negotiated and unanimously endorsed by this Council." 

"Any attempt by the E3 [France, Germany, United Kingdom] to reimpose sanctions already terminated is not only baseless, but a direct assault on international law and the credibility of the Security Council itself," he underscored.  He further rejected claims that Iran's nuclear programme threatens peace and security, calling them "a fabrication" and affirming that "Iran has not breached the [Plan], the [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons] or its safeguard obligations".  "Our nuclear programme remains entirely peaceful," he added.  He concluded:  "The door for diplomacy is not closed, but it will be Iran — not the adversaries — who decides with whom, and on what basis, to engage."