UN Security Council Vote: Iran Sanctions Set to Resume After Russia and China’s Resolution Fails

The UN Security Council has voted down a resolution put forward by China and Russia, which sought to prevent the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran. The draft resolution, presented to the council, aimed to postpone the implementation of sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. The proposal failed to gain sufficient support, with only four members voting in favor, nine against, and two abstaining among the 15 members of the Security Council. The resolution aimed to extend the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by six months, in accordance with the original resolution 2231 (2015). It also included stipulations for the ongoing cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This outcome clears the path for sanctions to be re-imposed on Iran. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have accused Tehran of violating the 2015 agreement designed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. All UN sanctions are slated to be reinstated on Saturday at 8 p.m. Iran has denied these accusations. A US official at the UN responded that the US welcomes the vote’s outcome. They added that this does not preclude the possibility of lifting sanctions through future diplomatic efforts. The French envoy to the UN stated that the re-imposition of sanctions doesn’t signal the end of diplomacy with Tehran. However, the envoy also noted that Iran had not demonstrated a willingness to delay the measures, choosing instead to postpone them. Dmitry Polyansky, the Russian representative, stated that the nations that opposed the resolution demonstrated that their previous assurances to focus on a diplomatic solution were hollow.