Russia and China have blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution aimed at extending the mandate of UN experts tasked with monitoring sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program. The resolution, put forward by the United States, failed to pass as both countries exercised their veto power, while Somalia and Pakistan chose to abstain from the vote.
The resolution garnered support from 11 of the Council’s members, but the opposition from Russia and China was decisive. The veto means that the mandate for the team responsible for overseeing the enforcement of sanctions on Iran will not be renewed, despite the existing sanctions remaining in place. These sanctions, reinstated in September 2025 through the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, are designed to target Iranian assets, arms-related activities, and its ballistic missile program.
Washington argued that the continuation of independent monitoring was crucial to document any potential breaches and attempts to circumvent the sanctions. However, Russia countered this by asserting that the sanctions’ reimposition via the snapback mechanism was not legally justified, rendering the extension of the expert panel’s mandate unnecessary. China also expressed its opposition to the resolution.
This decision comes amid ongoing international apprehensions regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions. UN nuclear inspectors have faced challenges in fully verifying Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, particularly following a series of attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in 2025. The absence of an extended mandate for the UN experts raises questions about future monitoring and reporting to the Security Council.