Iran rejects reinstatement of UNSC sanction resolutions

China

Iran rejects reinstatement of UNSC sanction resolutions

2025-09-29 04:51 Last Updated At：14:57

Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday it considers the action taken by France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, and the United States, to reinstate the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanction resolutions on Iran as "illegal and unjustified."

The ministry made the announcement in a statement, hours after UN sanctions against Iran came back into force 10 years after having been lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between the country and world powers.

It said that Iran "rejects the claim by the three European countries and the United States about the reinstatement of the previous resolutions that have been terminated under Resolution 2231 (that endorses the JCPOA) in 2015, and stresses that no obligation arises for UN members, including Iran, from the annulled resolutions' provisions and mechanisms."

The statement called on all countries to refrain from recognizing the "illegal situation, which is in contradiction with UNSC Resolution 2231," accusing the E3 and the United States of "abusing" the dispute resolution mechanism of the JCPOA and Resolution 2231.

According to the statement, Iran will firmly defend its rights and national interests, and any move aimed at harming those interests "will be met with an appropriate and resolute response."

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the invocation of the "snapback" mechanism to reinstate the UN sanctions was a "clear abuse of process," according to the ministry.

Last month, the E3 formally invoked the snapback mechanism, which allowed for the re-imposition of UN sanctions within 30 days if Iran was deemed in breach of the JCPOA.

On September 19, the UNSC failed to adopt a resolution that would have extended sanctions relief for Iran under the JCPOA. A subsequent resolution, which sought to grant a six-month extension to both the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, also failed to pass in the UNSC on Friday. The sanctions were re-imposed on Saturday evening.

UN chief urges diplomacy amid US military threats against Iran: spokesperson

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the U.S. rhetoric suggesting possible intervention in the situation in Iran, urging all parties to pursue diplomacy and dialogue in line with the principles of the UN Charter, his spokesperson said on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration is weighing "some very strong options," including potential military action against Iran amid the unrest across the Middle East country.

At a press briefing Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, conveyed Guterres' alarm over the remarks.

"The rhetoric that we've heard around the situation in Iran, which is concerning to him (Guterres), and he encourages all to adopt a path of diplomacy and dialogue," said Dujarric.

"We push for dialogue, and I think the [UN] Charter is very clear on your question," Dujarric said when asked whether foreign intervention might help resolve the crisis. The UN Charter enshrines core principles including the sovereign equality of all states, non-intervention in the affairs of other states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

These norms were further reinforced by the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly, which explicitly states that no state or group of states has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other state.

Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall in the national currency rial and long-standing economic hardships. The reported death toll from the unrest on both sides of the security forces and civilians is mounting.