Russia and China have vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution intended to extend the mandate of UN experts tasked with monitoring sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program. The resolution, proposed by the United States, was supported by 11 members of the council, while Russia and China opposed it. Somalia and Pakistan abstained from the vote.
The failure to extend the experts’ mandate leaves a gap in the oversight of sanctions that were reinstated in September 2025 via the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. This mechanism reactivated UN sanctions, including measures targeting Iran’s assets, arms-related activities, and its ballistic missile program. The U.S. argued that extending the experts’ mandate was crucial for documenting potential violations and efforts to bypass these sanctions.
Russia criticized the snapback sanctions as unlawful, claiming the extension of the expert panel’s mandate was therefore without legal foundation. China also opposed the resolution, aligning with Russia in the vote. Despite the veto, the existing sanctions on Iran remain in place.
The vote occurs amid ongoing international concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear activities. UN nuclear inspectors have faced challenges in verifying Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile following attacks on its nuclear facilities in 2025. The absence of an extended mandate for the UN expert panel raises questions about the future monitoring and reporting of these sanctions to the Security Council.
