UN Security Council Vote Fails to Extend Iran Sanctions Expert Panel Mandate
A US-drafted resolution to extend the mandate of the expert panel backing the 1737 Iran Sanctions Committee failed in the UN Security Council, with Russia and China voting against.
The UN Security Council on Thursday failed to adopt a draft resolution that would have extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts supporting the 1737 Iran Sanctions Committee.
The measure, drafted by the United States, drew 11 votes in favour, two against and two abstentions. Because Russia and China — both permanent members of the Council — voted against it, the resolution was blocked.
The vote follows the decision by France, Germany and the United Kingdom in August 2025 to trigger the "snapback" mechanism, which reimposed UN sanctions on Iran that had been suspended under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Security Council Resolution 2231.
Ahead of the ballot, representatives of China and Russia argued that Resolution 2231, which endorsed the JCPOA on Iran's nuclear issue, expired on October 18, 2025, and that the Iran nuclear file has since been removed from the Security Council's agenda.
The outcome leaves the expert panel's mandate unresolved as Council members remain divided over the status of the Iran sanctions framework.