A last-minute attempt to delay the automatic re-imposition of “snapback” sanctions against Iran was unsuccessful at the United Nations Security Council on Friday. This outcome follows Tehran’s failure to convince enough member nations that it had sufficiently scaled back its nuclear program.
The resolution, spearheaded by Iran’s allies China and Russia, aimed to postpone the U.N. sanctions for half a year. However, it garnered only four votes within the 15-member Council. Nine countries, including Britain, France, and the United States, voted against the delay.
Consequently, these sanctions are set to take effect in Iran early on Sunday.
The imposed measures are comprehensive, encompassing an embargo on conventional arms sales to Iran, restrictions on ballistic missile tests, asset freezes for key individuals involved in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, financial and banking limitations, and bans on uranium enrichment or reprocessing activities.
During the Security Council meeting in New York, European leaders expressed their disappointment, stating that despite intensive diplomatic efforts in recent days to encourage Iranian compromise, they did not observe concrete commitments from Iranian officials.
Jérôme Bonnafont, France’s representative to the U.N., articulated this regret, noting that “Iran has persisted in its attitude of refusal.” He added that Iran had not committed to resuming effective cooperation with the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog nor to clarifying the whereabouts of its enriched material stockpile.
Echoing these sentiments, Barbara Woodward, Britain’s representative, affirmed, “We stand ready to continue discussions with Iran on a diplomatic solution. In turn, this could allow for the lifting of sanctions in the future.”
Iran has consistently asserted that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. This week at the United Nations General Assembly, President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran stated, “Iran has never sought or will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” echoing previous remarks by the country’s supreme leader.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N.’s atomic watchdog, maintained inspectors and cameras in Iranian facilities until June, when the United States joined Israel’s 12-day conflict against Iran, resulting in severe damage to the sites. The watchdog has reported finding no evidence that Iran was weaponizing its program.
A crucial element of the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and Western nations was a mechanism for automatically reimposing, or “snap back,” all U.N. sanctions suspended by the deal. This would occur if any party to the agreement determined that Iran failed to uphold its commitments.
This veto-proof snapback mechanism is slated to expire on October 18. After this date, countries such as China and Russia, both of whom have maintained trade relations with Iran, could theoretically block future sanction efforts against Tehran in the Security Council.
To preempt this deadline, Britain, France, and Germany, collectively known as the E3, initiated moves in late August to reimpose all sanctions on Iran, citing its alleged non-compliance with the 2015 agreement’s terms.
A letter co-signed by the E3 nations to the Security Council asserted that Iran “has increasingly and deliberately ceased performing” its nuclear obligations, including the accumulation of a “high enriched uranium stockpile” and ceasing inspections by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.
In the same letter, the European nations indicated that if Iran’s “significant nonperformance” was “resolved” before the 30-day deadline, they would inform the Security Council. This communication mirrored discussions in July, where European diplomats proposed delaying the snapback sanctions if Iran agreed to three conditions: resume nuclear negotiations with the United States, allow IAEA inspections of its nuclear sites, and provide an account of its highly enriched uranium stockpile.
At Friday’s Security Council meeting, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, reiterated Iran’s position, stating that its actions have been “lawful, gradual, and fully consistent” with the 2015 nuclear agreement. He emphasized, “Iran categorically rejects weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.”
Geng Shuang, China’s representative, described the current situation as “precarious.” However, he pointed out that Iran has “repeatedly sent positive signals of readiness to resume talks with the United States,” suggesting that delaying sanctions would provide “more time for diplomatic efforts” to achieve a resolution.
The U.N.’s move would align with the United States’ approach of renewing economic pressure on Iran.
In 2018, President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, arguing that it provided Iran with substantial financial resources to bolster its military while allowing it to continue nuclear development and research.
Subsequently, Mr. Trump unilaterally reimposed extensive U.S. sanctions on Iran, implementing a “maximum pressure” campaign aimed at crippling Tehran’s economy and preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons.