UN veto bomb: Russia and China pull the plug on US Iran plan

Moscow: Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Thursday that would have extended the mandate of experts monitoring sanctions reimposed on Iran over its nuclear programme.

The proposal received 11 votes in favour and two against, while Somalia and Pakistan abstained. The Russian and Chinese vetoes prevented it from passing.

The sanctions themselves remain in force. They include measures involving Iran's overseas assets, arms transfers and its ballistic missile programme.

Why the Iran sanctions returned

The sanctions were restored on September 27, 2025, after France, Germany and the UK triggered the "snapback" mechanism contained in the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.

The mechanism reinstated the Security Council sanctions framework and authorised a panel of experts to monitor implementation.

The US wanted the panel's mandate extended for another year.

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia argued that the snapback process was illegal and said the proposed extension therefore had no legal basis.

The US, meanwhile, argued that continued independent monitoring was necessary to identify sanctions violations and prohibited cooperation involving Iran.

Iran welcomed the Russian and Chinese vetoes.

Iran's nuclear programme remains a concern

The vote comes amid continuing uncertainty over Iran's nuclear material.

UN nuclear inspectors have been unable to verify the status of Iran's enriched-uranium stockpile since Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that Iran had 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity. Uranium enriched to around 90% is generally considered weapons-grade.

The Security Council dispute comes as the Trump administration continues sanctions pressure on Tehran.

US authorities announced action against two companies and three associates linked to cryptocurrency networks that they allege helped sanctioned Iranian entities access the international financial system.

Guterres warns of a divided world

In a separate interview with The Associated Press, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that deep geopolitical divisions have left the Security Council increasingly unable to respond effectively to major conflicts.

Guterres, who is due to leave office at the end of the year after nearly a decade as secretary-general, identified artificial intelligence, climate change and inequality as major global challenges alongside armed conflicts.

He also pointed to the wars involving Russia and Ukraine and the wider Middle East crisis as examples of how geopolitical divisions are affecting international cooperation.

What Guterres wants changed

Guterres called for reforms to institutions created after the Second World War, including the UN Security Council, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

He argued that these institutions need to reflect the growing importance of emerging economies and powers.

He also called for international rules and safeguards around artificial intelligence, including greater transparency and cooperation between countries developing advanced AI systems.

The two developments highlight a central issue facing the UN: sanctions can remain legally in place even when the Security Council cannot agree on how they should be monitored.

The Iran vote also shows how disagreements among permanent Security Council members can affect enforcement mechanisms. Russia and China used their vetoes to block the US-backed proposal, while France indicated that alternative arrangements involving France, Germany, the UK and the US could be considered.

Guterres' separate warning places this dispute in a broader context. He has argued that major-power divisions are limiting the UN's ability to respond to conflicts and weakening confidence in international rules.

The immediate question is therefore not whether the Iran sanctions disappear, but how their implementation and alleged violations will be monitored after the proposed extension of the expert panel was blocked.