Russia and China Reject Western Push to Use UN Security Council Against Iran - WANA
WANA (Jul 11) –Russia and China opposed efforts by Western countries to use the UN Security Council against Iran during a meeting convened at the request of three European members, arguing that the Council no. . .
WANA (Jul 11) –Russia and China opposed efforts by Western countries to use the UN Security Council against Iran during a meeting convened at the request of three European members, arguing that the Council no longer has any legal mandate to address Iran’s nuclear issue following the expiration of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The meeting was held on Friday despite objections from Moscow and Beijing, after a procedural vote passed with 11 votes in favor, two against, and two abstentions. It marked the third Security Council session on Iran since Resolution 2231 expired in October 2025. Previous meetings, held in March and June 2026, also ended without any formal outcome. Russia and China reiterated that the expiration of Resolution 2231 brought an end to all Security Council responsibilities, restrictions, and authorities related to Iran’s nuclear program. They also argued that efforts by Britain, France, and Germany to invoke the so-called “snapback” mechanism have no legal or procedural basis because the resolution is no longer in force. Anna Evstigneeva, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said before the meeting that Resolution 2231 ceased to have legal effect on October 18, 2025, and that the Security Council has had no mandate to consider issues related to Iran’s nuclear file since then. She accused some Council members of exploiting procedural rules for political purposes by repeatedly requesting meetings on an issue that is no longer on the Council’s agenda. Evstigneeva also said Russia firmly rejects attempts to escalate tensions over Iran or use the Security Council as a platform for political pressure against Tehran, adding that claims regarding the activation of the snapback mechanism are legally unfounded. China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sun Lei, echoed Russia’s position, stating that the expiration of Resolution 2231 also marked the end of the Security Council’s consideration of Iran’s nuclear issue. He warned that insisting on discussions of a matter no longer on the Council’s agenda undermines the conditions needed for diplomacy and deepens divisions among Council members. Sun urged all parties to avoid politicizing the Security Council and to safeguard both the Council’s credibility and multilateral diplomacy. During the meeting, the United States and its Western allies repeated their positions regarding Iran’s nuclear program and defense capabilities. However, the session concluded without the adoption of a resolution, any formal decision, or other official outcome. Iran, Russia, and China have consistently maintained that the expiration of Resolution 2231 permanently ended all Security Council measures related to Iran’s nuclear program. The three countries previously submitted a joint letter to the United Nations asserting that the resolution’s expiration closed the Council’s consideration of Iran’s nuclear file and rendered any attempt to revive mechanisms established under the expired resolution, including the snapback mechanism, legally invalid.