UN Security Council Rejects Russia-China Bid to Halt Iran Sanctions

UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. Security Council has rejected a last-minute resolution from Russia and China aimed at delaying the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. The vote, which took place on Friday, occurred just one day before the deadline for the sanctions to take effect, following weeks of unsuccessful negotiations between Western powers and Iran.

The resolution, championed by Iran’s key allies, Russia and China, failed to secure the necessary nine votes to prevent the U.N. sanctions from being reinstated on Saturday. These sanctions are a critical component of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Dmitry Polyanskiy, the deputy Russian ambassador to the U.N., expressed disappointment, stating, “We had hoped that European colleagues and the U.S. would think twice, and they would opt for the path of diplomacy and dialogue instead of their clumsy blackmail, which merely results in escalation of the situation in the region.”

The re-imposition of sanctions, initiated by Britain, France, and Germany, will freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran, and penalize its ballistic missile program, among other measures. This move is expected to further strain Iran’s economy and escalate tensions with Western nations. Iran has previously threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in response.

China, Russia, Pakistan, and Algeria supported granting Iran more time for negotiations with European nations (E3) and the United States, which unilaterally withdrew from the accord in 2018. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the outcome, stating, “The U.S has betrayed diplomacy, but it is the E3 which have buried it.”

The “snapback” mechanism was triggered last month after European leaders accused Tehran of non-compliance with the accord’s conditions. Despite intensive diplomatic efforts, including meetings at this week’s U.N. General Assembly, talks failed to yield a resolution. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had previously dismissed peace talks with the U.S. as a “sheer dead end,” limiting diplomatic maneuverability.

Iranian officials maintain they offered multiple proposals to keep diplomatic channels open, while European nations insisted on specific conditions for any extension, including resumed direct negotiations with the U.S. and full access for U.N. nuclear inspectors. Inspectors are reportedly in Iran, examining an undamaged site, but their presence was deemed insufficient to halt the sanctions.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.