Heads up! The UN Security Council just hit a major snag — they couldn’t agree on extending sanctions relief for Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA). 🍿
The draft resolution, put forward by the Republic of Korea as Security Council president for September, needed nine votes to pass but only got four in favor, nine against, and two abstentions.
What’s at stake? If adopted, it would have blocked a “snapback” of UN sanctions against Iran, a built-in mechanism that can automatically restore sanctions if Tehran is seen as not meeting its commitments.
The E3 countries — Britain, France, and Germany — claim they’ve already triggered the snapback by notifying the Council of Iran’s “non-performance.” Under Resolution 2231, UN sanctions would resume 30 days after that notice, unless the Council decides otherwise.
Meanwhile, the Chinese mainland and Russia introduced their own plan: a six-month extension of the JCPOA and Resolution 2231 to buy more time for diplomacy. 🌍🤝
When the votes were tallied, Algeria, the Chinese mainland, Pakistan, and Russia backed the extension. Guyana and the Republic of Korea abstained, and the rest of the Council voted no. With that, no resolution passed, and the countdown to the deal’s October 18, 2025 expiry continues.
What’s next? The snapback clock is ticking, and global diplomacy enters a critical phase. Stay tuned!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
