The United Nations Security Council holds a meeting on Iran at the U.N. headquarters on Sep. 19, 2025, in New York. (Credit: Angela Weiss/AFP)
Russia on Saturday condemned the vote by the United Nations Security Council, which approved the reimposition of sanctions on Iran, as Paris, London and Berlin demand commitments regarding its nuclear program.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a supporter of Iran, criticized in a statement “the provocative and illegal nature” of the actions by these European countries. “These actions have nothing to do with diplomacy and only serve to exacerbate tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program,” the Russian diplomacy added.
The decision taken by the U.N. Security Council, however, remains reversible if an agreement is reached by the end of next week.
In 2015, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Russia and China reached an agreement with Tehran called the JCPOA, which established a framework for Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. The agreement was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which expires in mid-October.
During his first term, U.S. President Donald Trump decided in 2018 to withdraw from the JCPOA and reinstated U.S. sanctions. Iran subsequently suspended some of its commitments, notably regarding uranium enrichment. Western countries suspect Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons, while Tehran, backed by Moscow, denies this and defends its right to develop a civilian nuclear program.
After negotiations and multiple warnings, Paris, London, and Berlin triggered the “snapback” mechanism at the end of August, allowing sanctions to be reinstated within 30 days.
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