New york: Iran, China, and Russia have jointly addressed a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General, affirming the termination of UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2231. This resolution pertains to Iran's peaceful nuclear energy program.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the letter was written by the diplomatic missions of the three countries and addressed to Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, as well as the head of the UN Security Council. The allies stated that "in accordance with operative paragraph 8 of Resolution 2231, all its provisions are terminated after 18 October 2025." This date, they asserted, would mark the end of the Security Council's involvement in the Iranian nuclear matter.

Resolution 2231 had endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a major 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and several other nations. Upon its ratification, the resolution mandated the suspension of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. However, in 2018, the United States withdrew from the agreement and reinstated its sanctions on Iran in what was described as an illegal and unilateral decision.

In 2020, the US attempted to activate the JCPOA's 'snapback' mechanism, aiming to reinstate all nuclear-related sanctions against Iran, but the effort was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the US's European allies, under American pressure, failed to reintegrate Washington into the deal and ceased their trade with Iran, despite previous commitments.

The Western nations' attempts to address concerns about Iran's nuclear activities have focused on unverified allegations of 'diversion,' despite the International Atomic Energy Agency's extensive inspections. This year, European countries like the UK, France, and Germany attempted to activate the 'snapback' mechanism, leading to the restoration of sanctions last month.

The letter from Iran, Russia, and China highlighted that the European trio lacked the legal right to restore sanctions, given their non-compliance with the JCPOA and Resolution 2231 and their failure to follow the Dispute Resolution Mechanism. The letter also emphasized that adherence to the resolution's expiration date by the Security Council would reinforce its authority and the credibility of multilateral diplomacy.

Finally, the diplomats urged all involved parties to foster a conducive environment for diplomatic efforts.