Iran, Russia, China declare end of nuclear deal in letter to UN

Iran, Russia, and China have formally informed the United Nations that the 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran has been terminated, declaring an end to the UN Security Council’s oversight of Iran’s nuclear issue.

In a joint letter sent Saturday to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, the three nations accused the United Kingdom, France, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — of attempting to “illegally and improperly” invoke the snapback mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran under Resolution 2231.

“The attempt by the E3 to trigger the so-called ‘snapback’ is by default legally and procedurally flawed,” the letter stated, arguing that the European parties, having failed to uphold their own commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Resolution 2231, “lack the standing to invoke its provisions.”

According to the letter, all provisions under Resolution 2231 “are terminated after Oct. 18, 2025,” marking the “end of the Security Council’s consideration of the Iranian nuclear issue.” The letter said this conclusion “strengthens the authority of the Council and reaffirms the credibility of multilateral diplomacy.”

Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing also urged all parties to pursue a “political settlement through diplomatic engagement and mutual respect,” and to avoid “unilateral sanctions, threats of force, or any action that could heighten tensions.”

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the resolution allowing the reimposition of sanctions had “expired in line with the predetermined timeline.”

Resolution 2231, adopted by the Security Council on July 20, 2015, endorsed the JCPOA and set a 10-year framework for monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities. That period officially ended on Oct. 18, 2025, terminating all related restrictions and mechanisms.

The E3 announced on Aug. 28 that they had activated the JCPOA’s “snapback” clause, accusing Iran of breaching its obligations — a move that followed the United States’ earlier unilateral withdrawal from the deal.