UN Security Council Fails to Lift Sanctions on Iran Over Nuclear Program

The United Nations Security Council on Friday, September 19, 2025, failed to adopt a resolution that would have permanently lifted UN sanctions on Iran related to its nuclear program. The vote, held at UN headquarters in New York, came after weeks of intense diplomatic negotiations and marked a significant setback for Tehran, which has faced mounting pressure from European powers over alleged non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Diplomatic Breakdown and Snapback Mechanism

The resolution, tabled by South Korea in its role as Security Council president, was part of a procedural process triggered last month when Britain, France, and Germany—collectively known as the E3—invoked the snapback mechanism. This mechanism, embedded in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Security Council Resolution 2231, allows for the automatic reimposition of sanctions if Iran is found in “significant non-performance” of its nuclear commitments. The draft resolution received only four votes in favor—China, Russia, Pakistan, and Algeria—while nine countries, including the United States, France, and Britain, voted against it. Guyana and South Korea abstained.

With the resolution failing to secure the required nine affirmative votes, all pre-2015 UN sanctions on Iran are set to automatically return once the 30-day snapback period ends on September 28, unless the Security Council takes further action. These sanctions include visa bans, asset freezes, an embargo on conventional arms sales, and restrictions on ballistic missile production.

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Iran, along with Russia and China, condemned the outcome as a blow to diplomacy and criticized the European-led effort as unjustified and illegal. Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, called the move “hasty, unnecessary, and unlawful,” and pointed to recent attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel and the United States as evidence of external aggression undermining dialogue. Iranian officials also highlighted a recent agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resume inspections of nuclear sites, arguing that Tehran remains open to diplomatic solutions.

European leaders, however, maintained that Iran has failed to meet its obligations under the JCPOA, particularly regarding its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and cooperation with UN nuclear inspectors. The E3 insisted that Iran must demonstrate full compliance with IAEA requirements and allow unfettered access to all nuclear sites. Acting U.S. Representative to the UN Dorothy Shea stated that the snapback mechanism was justified given Iran’s clear violations and emphasized that the outcome does not preclude future diplomatic engagement.

Legal and Political Implications

The legality of the snapback process has been questioned by some Security Council members, notably China and Russia, who argued that the European powers bypassed the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) outlined in the JCPOA and Resolution 2231. Under these provisions, the DRM allows 35 days to resolve disagreements before snapback sanctions can be triggered. China and Russia proposed a six-month extension of the JCPOA to allow more time for diplomacy, but their draft resolution did not pass.

The failure to lift sanctions comes amid heightened regional tensions, particularly following a 12-day conflict in June between Iran and Israel, which included strikes on Iranian nuclear sites by both Israel and the United States. The collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal, exacerbated by the U.S. withdrawal in 2018 and subsequent reimposition of sanctions, has left the future of Iran’s nuclear program and international oversight in doubt.

As the October 18 expiration date for Resolution 2231 approaches, the Security Council’s inability to reach consensus signals a definitive end to eight years of diplomacy surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The window for a diplomatic solution is rapidly closing, with European and U.S. officials urging Iran to take credible steps to address international concerns before the snapback sanctions take full effect.