UN Bid to Prolong Iran Nuclear Deal Collapses
(MENAFN) A bid to prolong the 2015 Iran nuclear deal for six more months collapsed at the United Nations Security Council on Friday, as a draft resolution led by China and Russia failed to secure the minimum number of votes required for adoption.
The resolution, aimed at stalling a potential "snapback" of UN sanctions and allowing diplomatic negotiations more time, received only four votes in favor, with nine against and two abstentions. A minimum of nine affirmative votes is required for any resolution to pass, provided none of the five permanent members exercises a veto.
Had it passed, the resolution would have extended both the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six global powers — and Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the accord, for a six-month period.
The outcome mirrored that of a similar resolution tabled on September 19 by the Republic of Korea, acting as Security Council president for the month. That proposal also failed, despite seeking to continue sanctions relief for Iran under the existing framework.
Algeria, China, Pakistan, and Russia supported Friday's draft. Guyana and the Republic of Korea abstained. The remaining nine members, including the United States, Britain, France, and several rotating members, voted against it.
The E3 nations — Britain, France, and Germany — maintain that Iran has failed to meet its commitments under the JCPOA. On August 28, they formally notified the Security Council, claiming "significant non-performance" by Tehran, and declared they had triggered the snapback sanctions mechanism.
Under Resolution 2231, pre-2015 UN sanctions are set to automatically resume 30 days after such a notification unless the Council adopts a resolution to prevent it — a scenario now foreclosed by the failed votes.
However, legal challenges to the E3's move are mounting. Critics argue that the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM), which allows 35 days for the parties to resolve disagreements before snapback can be invoked, was bypassed — casting doubt on the legitimacy of the sanctions restoration.
Resolution 2231 is set to expire on October 18, at which point the Security Council will cease to engage with the JCPOA framework, effectively closing the chapter on one of the most significant non-proliferation agreements in recent history.
Following the vote, Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, expressed frustration: "China was deeply disappointed at the result of the vote."
Diplomatic fallout is expected to escalate as the deadline looms.
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