DID Press: Russia has sharply criticized European efforts to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran through “snapback mechanism,” calling it a “dangerous and illegal move” that threatens international order and risks deepening global political divides.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned actions of UK, France, and Germany, accusing them of violating UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and ignoring established legal procedures for dispute resolution under the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal).
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said the European states had unilaterally reinstated sanctions on September 27 after the expiration of the 30-day suspension period, a move Moscow considers a “clear breach” of both Resolution 2231 and the nuclear accord.
Russia and China had jointly proposed extending Resolution 2231 until April 2026 to prevent further escalation, but Western powers rejected the initiative, Zakharova added.
She warned that the continued use of the snapback mechanism will “undermine the foundations of international law” and can lead to “deep fractures in the global order.”
The snapback mechanism, established under Resolution 2231, allows parties to the Iran nuclear deal to restore previous UN sanctions automatically if Tehran is deemed to have violated its commitments — without requiring a new Security Council vote.
Since the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018, the mechanism has become a major source of international contention. Both Russia and China have repeatedly urged Western powers to extend diplomatic engagement instead of reactivating sanctions, but their appeals have been rejected by the U.S. and the EU.