In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Security Council President Sangiin Kim, Araghchi stressed that efforts to revive resolutions already terminated under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) have no legal basis.
He stressed that the E3 of violating their obligations under the JCPOA, undermining Resolution 2231, and even justifying attacks on Iran’s safeguarded nuclear facilities.
The Foreign Minister reaffirmed that all nuclear-related restrictions under Resolution 2231 will expire permanently on 18 October 2025, as agreed.
He warned that neither Iran nor any UN Member State is obliged to comply with “illegal measures” based on flawed procedures.
“Iran will continue to defend its sovereign rights and interests,” Araghchi declared, adding that responsibility for any escalation will rest with those choosing confrontation over diplomacy.
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In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
27 September 2025
I am writing regarding the recent desperate attempts by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States to keep the peaceful nuclear program of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Security Council’s agenda by seeking to reinstate Security Council resolutions that were terminated under resolution 2231 (2015). In this regard, I would like to reiterate Iran’s principled position as follows:
- As explained in my previous communications, the notification submitted by the three European countries (the so-called E3) was legally and procedurally flawed and is therefore null and void. The E3 acted while refusing to uphold their own obligations, failed to exhaust the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) of the JCPOA, actively undermined resolution 2231 (2015) by demanding arrangements beyond its scope, and even justified military attacks against Iran’s IAEA-safeguarded facilities. Their invocation of the so-called snapback mechanism is a clear abuse of process.
- Attempts to revive terminated resolutions are not only legally baseless but also politically and morally unjustified. The issues concerning Iran’s nuclear program have already been resolved by the JCPOA and Resolution 2231. Moreover, the unlawful military actions of the Israeli regime and the United States against Iran’s nuclear facilities have fundamentally altered the circumstances, rendering those terminated resolutions obsolete and detached from present realities.
- Operative Paragraph 11 of resolution 2231 stipulates that the Security Council must “take into account the views of the States involved.” It is regrettable that, despite the clear positions of other JCPOA participants, Iran, China, and the Russian Federation, the Council President put a draft resolution to the vote. As stressed in the joint ministerial letter of China, Iran, and Russia dated 28 August 2025, the Security Council cannot act based on the E3’s flawed communication. Any action in disregard or contravention of resolution 2231 cannot create lawful obligations for UN Member States.
- Furthermore, on the vote regarding the draft resolution submitted by the Republic of Korea, two permanent members — China and Russia — joined by Algeria and Pakistan, firmly stated that sanctions are obsolete and must remain lifted. The abstentions of the Council President, the Republic of Korea, and Guyana further underscored the draft’s lack of legitimacy. Its failure confirmed that no State is bound to revive previous restrictions. International law and the UN Charter make clear that obligations cannot arise from invalid procedures or from the absence of consensus within the Council.
- The outcome of the voting held on 26 September 2025 on the Russia-China draft resolution to technically extend resolution 2231 once again demonstrated that the Security Council is divided and lacks consensus on the reimposition of sanctions against Iran. This mirrors the situation of October 2020, when the United States unlawfully sought to trigger snapback. At that time, in his letter of 25 August 2020 (S/2020/837), the Council President stated explicitly that the Council was not in a position to take action.
- Later, in a letter of 21 September 2020, thirteen members affirmed that the U.S. letter did not constitute a notification under paragraph 11 of resolution 2231 and that no automatic process had been triggered. In October 2020, the Secretary-General and the Secretariat, citing Council divisions and lack of consensus, likewise refrained from implementing or reviving the sanctions mechanism. In view of the above, and as I made abundantly clear in my statement delivered on 26 September 2025 at the Security Council meeting:
- The E3, having breached their obligations under both the JCPOA and resolution 2231, has lost any standing to invoke “significant non-performance.” Their invocation of the so-called snap-back mechanism is simply a stark abuse of process.
- The draft resolution submitted by the President of the Council on 19 September for voting did not meet the requirements of resolution 2231 and cannot restore sanctions that have already been terminated.
- Attempts by the E3 and the United States to revive terminated sanctions are null and void.
- Resolution 2231 shall expire as agreed. All nuclear-related restrictions under resolution 2231 will end permanently on 18 October 2025. Iran will not recognize any attempt to extend, revive, or enforce them thereafter.
- Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran categorically rejects the alleged reinstatement of terminated resolutions under resolution 2231 (2015). Neither Iran nor any UN Member State is under any obligation to comply with such illegal measures.
Excellency,
We rely on your sense of responsibility to ensure that certain Western States, acting outside the law and driven by narrow political agendas, are not permitted to misuse the Secretariat for political coercion against Iran. Such misuse would undermine the credibility and neutrality of the United Nations and erode the authority of the Security Council.
We, therefore, call on Your Excellency to prevent any attempt to revive sanctions mechanisms, including the sanctions committee and Panel of Experts. No UN resources should be allocated or supported to such illegal measures.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently demonstrated its readiness for diplomacy aimed at fair, balanced, and sustainable solutions. Regrettably, the E3 and the United States have chosen confrontation, wrongly assuming that Iran will yield to coercion. History has proven this assumption false, and it will do so again.
The Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to defend its sovereign rights and interests firmly. Any attempt to harm Iran will be met with appropriate responses, and full responsibility will rest with those who choose confrontation and pressure over cooperation.
I would be grateful if you would circulate this letter as a document of the General Assembly and of the Security Council.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Seyed Abbas Araghchi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hossein Vaez - Hossein Vaez
