Five Official Documents Refute Legitimacy of Europe’s Snapback Move
WANA (Oct 18) – As part of Iran’s ongoing active diplomacy and efforts to neutralize the West’s unlawful actions, five official documents have been released over the past three days questioning the legitimacy of the three European countries’ attempt to activate the so-called “snapback” mechanism.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, announced on Saturday, October 18, that these five documents provide detailed and well-substantiated evidence proving the invalidity of Germany, France, and the UK’s attempt to reinstate previously lifted sanctions under UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
Gharibabadi stated that the first document is the final communiqué of the 19th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, held on October 15–16, 2025, in Kampala, Uganda. In that statement, 121 member states reaffirmed the need to uphold the provisions of Resolution 2231 and recognized its official conclusion on October 18, 2025. The Non-Aligned Movement also reminded members that respecting the timeline stipulated in the resolution is part of their international obligations.
The second document is a statement issued by the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter, endorsed by 18 member states. The group expressed appreciation for Iran’s dialogue-based approach and described the European trio’s move as “lacking any legal or procedural basis.” The statement further noted that European countries cannot invoke the snapback mechanism while ignoring the root cause — the United States’ withdrawal from the JCPOA and its unilateral sanctions.
The third document is a joint letter from the permanent representatives of Iran, Russia, and China to the United Nations, outlining their shared stance on the European claim. Citing the provisions of Resolution 2231, the letter asserts that the so-called “snapback declaration” has no legal effect and that the European states, having failed to fulfill their own commitments, lack the standing to invoke such a mechanism.
Diplomacy Against the Snapback Mechanism . JCPOA
The fourth document is an official letter from Iran’s Foreign Minister to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council. It states that all provisions of Resolution 2231, pursuant to paragraph 8, will terminate on October 18, 2025, and that any attempt to revive it would be “devoid of legal validity.” The letter also stresses that the UN Secretariat has no authority to reinterpret or re-implement expired resolutions.
The fifth document is a letter from Russia’s Foreign Minister to the UN Secretary-General, emphasizing the illegality of any action by the Secretariat to enforce expired resolutions, including the formation of an expert panel on Iran sanctions. In this letter, Moscow explicitly warns against any attempt to restore lapsed sanctions.
According to the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s assessment, these documents collectively reflect a broad consensus among Iran, non-Western powers, and independent states in defense of multilateralism, the rule of law, and opposition to the unilateral actions of the three European countries.
Gharibabadi concluded: “The common message of these documents is clear — the definite termination of Resolution 2231 on October 18, 2025; the invalidity of claims to revive UN sanctions; and the imperative of upholding the UN Charter and principles of international law.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Statement on the Termination of UN Resolution 2231
WANA (Oct 18) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a statement today (Saturday, October 18, 2025) regarding the termination of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. The statement reads as follows: As previously emphasized in Iran’s official positions and statements concerning the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) […]
