After the Failed UN Security Council Vote, What Scenarios Lie Ahead for Iran?
WANA (Sep 20) – A draft resolution aimed at extending the suspension of six UN Security Council sanctions against Iran failed on Friday, September 19, in New York. Nine members voted against it, four voted in favor, and two abstained.
The resolution, introduced by South Korea as the council’s rotating president, did not pass. As a result, if no agreement is reached by September 28, six resolutions that were terminated after the 2015 nuclear deal (Resolutions 1696, 1737, 1747, 1803, 1835, and 1929) will automatically come back into effect.
These measures mainly involve arms embargoes and non-economic restrictions.
The development stems from a move on August 27, when Germany, France, and the UK—three European parties to the nuclear deal—invoked the so-called “snapback” mechanism, citing Iran’s alleged failure to comply with its commitments. Under this mechanism, sanctions are automatically reinstated after 30 days unless an alternative agreement is reached.
Iran’s UN Representative: Diplomacy Remains Open, But Iran Will Choose With Whom to Engage
WANA (Sep 19) – Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, following the Security Council session and the vote on the extension of sanctions against Iran, strongly criticized the Council’s recent action, describing it as imposed under pressure from certain Western members. In his opening remarks, Irouani said: “Those who have failed to fulfill […]
Reactions from Tehran came swiftly. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had previously said: “Iran’s main problem is with U.S. unilateral sanctions, which go far beyond the Security Council measures.” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei also told The Guardian: “No one can say we welcome the return of sanctions. We lived under these pressures between 2006 and 2010, and it took us more than two years of negotiations to get rid of them.”
Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeed Iravani, described the Security Council vote as “hasty, unnecessary, and illegal,” stressing that Iran recognises no obligation to comply. He added: “The responsibility for these grave consequences lies squarely with the United States and the three European countries.” In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry also said it reserves the right to respond appropriately to any unlawful action.
According to Araghchi, if the snapback mechanism is implemented, Iran’s recent agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency “will lose its validity,” and cooperation with the agency will not continue as before.
