by Sergey Lavrov 

I deem it necessary to appeal to you regarding the claims by the United Kingdom, France and Germany about them allegedly having triggered the “snapback” mechanism in the context of the Iranian nuclear issue. I would also like to draw your attention to the vote on the Security Council draft resolution submitted by the Republic of Korea on extending the regime of termination of the United Nations sanctions against Iran that took place on 19 September 2025, as well as to the vote on 26 September 2025 on the draft presented by China and Russia aimed at the extension of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015).

During the above-mentioned meetings of the Security Council, the United States, the United Kingdom and France, supported by a number of non-permanent members of the Council, voted against both drafts, thus expressing themselves against giving additional room for negotiations in the context of the Iranian nuclear issue. Regrettably, despite all the energetic diplomatic efforts of the last two weeks and Iran’s readiness to engage in finding a solution, the above-mentioned States rejected all the compromises and chose an escalatory path.

In parallel, the United Kingdom, France and Germany have continued to insist on the validity of their so-called “snapback” notification that was circulated in the Security Council on 28 August. Their claims cannot be further from the truth. Russia has repeatedly clarified that this notification is null and void and that it cannot be regarded as a notification submitted pursuant to operative paragraph 11 of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), as indicated, inter alia, in the letter addressed to you by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Russia, China and Iran dated 28 August. Therefore, the draft resolution put to a vote on 19 September by the President of the Council undoubtedly did not meet the requirements of resolution 2231 (2015), and the outcome of its consideration cannot entail the restoration of the United Nations sanctions against Iran. For that reason, the claimed “snapback” procedure cannot be considered to be triggered.

The efforts of the Western States to maintain the opposite only demonstrate that they are desperately trying to legitimize their blatant violations of resolution 2231 (2015) committed previously, as well as to compel the rest of the world to side with their confrontational and fundamentally erroneous policy.

Against this backdrop, I count on your responsible position and prudence in order not to yield to those acting beyond the legal framework and trying to use the Security Council and the Secretariat of the United Nations as tools of political retaliation against Iran. I expect that neither you nor the United Nations Secretariat will undertake any practical steps on restoring the sanctions regime against Iran, as there is no mandate to act accordingly. Any opposite actions would be a direct violation of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly its Article 100.

The Secretariat should not support any attempts to manipulate the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and let any State use it to settle political scores with “unfavoured” countries. I hope that you will make consistent efforts to avoid such a negative scenario.

Sergey Lavrov