Russian and Chinese veto kills extension of UN sanctions committee on Iran

Pakistan and Somalia abstained from the vote, while the draft resolution failed to secure the necessary approval for passage due to the use of the veto by Moscow and Beijing.

The vote comes amid a dispute within the Council over the legality of reactivating UN sanctions on Iran and the “snapback” mechanism. Russia and China maintain that Security Council Resolution 2231, concerning the Iranian nuclear deal, expired in October 2025, whereas the United States and Western countries insist that the sanctions-related framework remains in effect.