Iran Sanctions Return as China and Russia’s UN Resolution Fails

The United Nations Security Council has rejected a resolution put forward by China and Russia, leading to the re-imposition of sanctions against Iran. The draft resolution sought to delay the implementation of sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. The proposal only received support from four nations, while nine voted against it, and two abstained within the 15-member Security Council. The primary objective of the resolution was to extend the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) for six months, aligning with the original resolution 2231 (2015). It also included provisions for continued cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The failure of the resolution clears the way for the return of sanctions. France, Germany, and the UK have accused Iran of violating the 2015 agreement designed to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. All UN sanctions will be reinstated on Saturday at 8 p.m. Iran has denied these accusations. A US official commented that the United States welcomed the vote. They also added that this doesn’t preclude potential diplomatic efforts to lift the sanctions in the future. The French envoy to the UN said the re-imposition of sanctions doesn’t represent an end to diplomacy with Tehran. However, the envoy noted that Iran didn’t indicate a desire to delay the process, choosing instead to postpone the actions. Dmitry Polyansky, the Russian representative, expressed that the opposing nations have revealed their true positions, suggesting previous diplomatic assurances were not genuine.