Foreign Ministry:

Snapback Sanctions Do Not Bind UN Member States Legally

Date: 28 September 2025 - 21:58

News ID: ۱۴۴۰۴۱

TEHRAN — Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday dismissed claims by the United States and European powers that UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions against Tehran, lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, have been reinstated.
In a statement, Iran said any actions contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 2231—which endorsed the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—do not create legal obligations for UN member states.
“Iran rejects the claim by the three European countries and the U.S. regarding the reinstatement of past resolutions that were terminated under Resolution 2231,” the ministry said, adding that no UN member, including Iran, is bound by the annulled resolutions.
The statement hit out at Washington and its European allies—the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, known as the E3— for unlawfully using the JCPOA dispute resolution mechanism to restore previously lifted sanctions.
Last month, the E3 triggered the so-called “snapback” mechanism, a 30-day process aimed at reinstating all UN sanctions on Iran. Tehran has repeatedly condemned the move as illegitimate, citing the U.S.’s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and the European powers’ failure to meet their obligations under the deal.
The UN Security Council re-imposed the sanctions on Sunday at 0000 GMT, restoring bans that freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals, and target the country’s defensive missile program. The move followed the predictable veto by the United States and its allies on a draft resolution submitted by China and Russia to delay the snapback process.
On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced as “null and void” the European signatories’ attempts to reimpose UN sanctions through the snapback mechanism, calling their invocation a “blatant abuse of process.”
In an X post hours before the 30-day snapback period ended, he stressed that UNSC Resolution 2231 remains valid until October 18, 2025, and that terminated sanctions “cannot be revived.”
Araghchi also criticized the United States for “betraying diplomacy” and the European trio for “burying it,” saying they are relying on the flawed assumption that “might makes right” and that the Iranian people will succumb to bullying. He warned that such “doubling down on faulty assumptions” will not resolve the crisis.
In a live interview from New York with Iran’s national TV, Araghchi said Tehran does not consider the
snapback mechanism to be activated and urged that its consequences should neither be pursued nor recognized by the UN Secretary-General.
He highlighted the lack of consensus within the Security Council, pointing out that Russia and China—two permanent members—view the snapback as illegal and without legal basis.
Russia and China, backed by temporary members Pakistan and Algeria, introduced a draft resolution to delay the snapback and allow more time for diplomacy. The resolution was opposed by nine council members with two abstentions.
Araghchi also revealed that prior to the snapback attempt, the U.S. and Europeans tried to pressure Iran by attempting to frighten the Iranian public and force the government into concessions, demanding that Iran relinquish all its nuclear material in exchange for a delay in the sanctions reinstatement.
He described these demands as “excessive,” “irrational,” and “audacious,” asserting that Iran firmly resisted such pressure until the last moment.
Reiterating the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, Araghchi emphasized Tehran’s readiness to build mutual trust, provided the country’s right to uranium enrichment is recognized and proportionate concessions are granted.
The Iranian ministry criticized the European trio for acting under “U.S. pressure and provocation,” despite their own “gross non-performance” of JCPOA commitments. It further condemned their support of Israeli and US attacks against Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.
Iran vowed to use all legal means to hold accountable those responsible for what it described as a “criminal assault” and to seek compensation for damages incurred.
The ministry added that despite Iran’s efforts to prevent misuse of the snapback mechanism, these attempts were thwarted by the opposing parties’ disregard and excessive demands.
“Instead of creating the necessary space for diplomacy and engagement, the three European countries and the US have chosen a path of confrontation and crisis escalation,” the statement said. “They mistakenly believe that by reviving annulled UN Security Council resolutions, they can gain new leverage of pressure.”
Iran concluded by affirming its commitment to defend its rights and national interests and warned it would deliver an “appropriate and decisive response” to any hostile actions, holding those who opt for confrontation fully responsible for any consequences.