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Iran, Russia, and China challenge European sanctions with coordinated diplomacy
Iran, Russia, and China have launched a joint diplomatic effort to counter European attempts to reimpose international sanctions on Tehran. The three nations sent coordinated letters to the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), arguing that the legal framework for such sanctions has expired. This move marks a significant break in international consensus over Iran's nuclear program and the enforcement of global sanctions.
A strategic alliance against Western pressure
On October 18, the nations dispatched a joint letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, stating that UN Security Council Resolution 2231 officially expired on that date. A second letter followed on October 25, addressed to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, asserting that the agency’s oversight mandate under the 2015 nuclear deal had also ended.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf described this coordinated action as a demonstration of "strategic solidarity" among the three powers. He called it one of the "significant and influential achievements" of Iran’s foreign policy. The letters firmly rejected European efforts to invoke the "snapback" mechanism, dismissing them as "legally and procedurally flawed."
European sanctions meet resistance
The coordinated challenge arose after Britain, France, and Germany activated the snapback mechanism on August 28, leading to the reinstatement of UN sanctions on September 27. However, Russia and China’s refusal to recognize the renewed measures has created what Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia referred to as "two different realities."
"We do not recognize the snapback as having taken effect," Nebenzia declared, signaling Moscow’s intent to block enforcement of the renewed arms embargo and restrictions on nuclear technology. Analysts suggest this divergence in the application of international law severely undermines the practical impact of the European-led sanctions.
Diplomatic isolation and contested enforcement
China and Russia attempted to delay the sanctions by proposing a resolution at the UN Security Council, which failed in a 9-4 vote on September 26. Only Algeria and Pakistan supported the two powers, exposing the diplomatic isolation of Iran’s primary allies on the nuclear issue. Despite their limited support, China and Russia’s refusal to recognize the sanctions could significantly weaken their enforcement, leaving the international community divided over the issue.