By Suraj Karowa, September 27, 2025
The United Nations Security Council on Friday, September 26, 2025, rejected a resolution proposed by Russia and China to delay the reimposition of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, setting the stage for heightened tensions between Tehran and Western nations. The resolution, backed by Iran’s key allies, failed to secure the nine votes needed to halt the sanctions, which are set to take effect on Saturday, September 27, 2025, as part of the 2015 nuclear deal’s “snapback” mechanism.
The sanctions, triggered last month by Britain, France, and Germany (the E3), will freeze Iranian assets abroad, ban arms deals with Tehran, and penalize its ballistic missile program, further straining Iran’s already struggling economy. The E3 accused Iran of non-compliance with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), citing its enrichment of uranium to 60%—a level close to weapons-grade and unmatched by any non-nuclear-weapon state. Despite weeks of high-level talks, including meetings during the UN General Assembly in New York, no diplomatic resolution was reached.
Russia, China, Pakistan, and Algeria supported a six-month delay to allow more time for negotiations, but the proposal lacked broader support. Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, criticized the E3 and the United States for choosing “clumsy blackmail” over diplomacy, warning of regional escalation. The U.S., which withdrew from the JCPOA in 2018 under President Trump, has been a key player in pushing for the sanctions’ reinstatement.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who met with E3 counterparts in New York, urged the Security Council to extend the deadline, claiming Iran had offered “multiple proposals” to keep diplomacy alive. However, European diplomats reported no progress, with one telling the Associated Press that talks yielded “no new developments.” Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, further complicated matters by dismissing peace talks with the U.S. as “a sheer dead end.”
The E3 has outlined conditions for delaying sanctions, including Iran resuming direct negotiations with the U.S., allowing UN nuclear inspectors full access to its facilities, and accounting for over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recently signed an agreement with Iran, mediated by Egypt, to resume inspections, but Iran has threatened to end cooperation if sanctions are reimposed. IAEA inspectors are currently in Iran, monitoring a second undamaged nuclear site after Israeli and U.S. airstrikes in June targeted Iranian facilities, raising concerns about Tehran’s uranium stockpile.
The reinstatement of sanctions could push Iran closer to withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, a move it has threatened in the past, following North Korea’s example in 2003. Such a step could accelerate Iran’s path to nuclear weapons, further destabilizing the region. European nations have emphasized that Iran’s recent cooperation with the IAEA, including inspections at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in August, is insufficient to halt the sanctions.
The failure of the Russia-China resolution underscores deep divisions in the Security Council and the challenges of reviving the JCPOA. As sanctions loom, the international community braces for Iran’s response and the potential for increased conflict in an already volatile region.
Sources: The Hindu, AP, Reuters
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