Russia and China veto US draft to extend UN monitoring of Iran sanctions
Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution on Thursday that would have extended for another year the mandate of a panel of experts monitoring sanctions imposed on Iran. The US-drafted text received 11 votes in favour, two abstentions, including Pakistan , and two against. Vasily Nebenzya, Moscow's UN envoy, argued that the draft resolution “was deeply flawed and did not have…
On Thursday, Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution to extend the mandate of a panel monitoring sanctions on Iran for another year. The US-sponsored draft received 11 votes in favor, two abstentions, and two against. Russia's UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, claimed the resolution was "deeply flawed" and lacked legal foundation, warning that it would only escalate tensions in the Security Council.
The veto highlighted deep divisions among the 15-member council over the validity of sanctions imposed on Iran following a dispute over the "snapback" mechanism in the 2015 nuclear deal. Britain, France, and Germany triggered the mechanism in August 2024, aiming to reinstate UN sanctions suspended under the JCPOA. Russia and China reject the legal and procedural validity of this move, arguing that sanctions were permanently lifted with the termination of Resolution 2231 on October 18, 2025.
The US accused Russia and China of obstructing independent scrutiny of sanctions violations and preventing the panel from shining a light on prohibited defense cooperation between Iran and its partners. Despite the veto, the sanctions remain in force, binding on all UN member states. The disagreement has left the sanctions committee paralyzed, with the IAEA now serving as the principal independent body reporting on Iran's nuclear program.
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Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Russia and China veto US draft to extend UN monitoring of Iran sanctions thenationalnews.com
- A sweeping US sanctions bill offers Ukraine new leverage on Russia, but enforcement looms winnipegfreepress.com
