Araghchi: Resolution 2231 Has Definitively Expired

Tehran - BORNA - In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, Araghchi underlined that any such attempt would exceed the legal authority granted under the UN Charter and Resolution 2231 and would contradict the Secretariat’s purely administrative and impartial role.

He stated that on 28 August 2025, the three European parties to the JCPOA — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — “unilaterally and without any legitimate, legal, procedural, or political justification” sought to bypass the JCPOA’s dispute settlement mechanism and directly activate the so-called “snapback” process at the Security Council.

Araghchi emphasized that “any claim of ‘reviving’ or ‘reimposing’ terminated resolutions is null and void, lacks any legal basis, and cannot create binding effects.”

Below is the full text of Araghchi’s letter to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council:

Excellency,

Further to my previous correspondence, including the most recent one dated 27 September 2025, I wish to inform you that United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) has, in accordance with its explicit provisions, definitively expired as of 18 October 2025.

In this regard, I wish to once again reaffirm the position of the Islamic Republic of Iran as follows:

Ten years ago, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) entered into force upon endorsement by Resolution 2231 (2015). This reflected the international community’s shared belief that diplomacy and multilateral engagement are the most effective means for resolving disputes.

The Islamic Republic of Iran, in line with its firm commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, accepted and fully implemented the JCPOA in good faith. Despite Iran’s full and verified compliance, the United States blatantly violated its obligations — first by refusing to implement them and then, on 8 May 2018, by unilaterally withdrawing from the agreement, reimposing its illegal, unilateral, and extraterritorial sanctions, and even expanding them.

These coercive actions constituted a gross violation of international law and the UN Charter, severely disrupting the implementation of the JCPOA. The European parties — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — despite their initial commitment to preserve the deal and offset the consequences of the U.S. withdrawal, not only failed to honor their own obligations but imposed additional illegal sanctions on Iranian individuals and entities, committing further material breaches of the agreement.

All these serious cases of non-compliance and gross violations have been fully documented and repeatedly reported to you and the members of the Security Council. The Islamic Republic of Iran exercised maximum restraint and pursued extensive diplomatic efforts to restore balance and preserve the agreement.

After one full year of continued compliance following the U.S. withdrawal, Iran — in accordance with its rights under the JCPOA — began implementing phased, proportionate, and reversible remedial measures as of 8 May 2019. It also engaged constructively to ensure the full return of the U.S. to the agreement, the EU and E3’s full compliance with their commitments, and the total lifting of sanctions. Unfortunately, these good-faith efforts were met with obstruction by the U.S. and the E3, who insisted on maximalist demands and continued their illegal, unilateral sanctions — effectively undermining the JCPOA’s core purpose of normalizing Iran’s international economic relations.

Iran’s record of constructive engagement, including numerous consultations with European partners and even indirect talks with the U.S., demonstrates its consistent commitment to diplomacy. Nevertheless, these good-faith efforts were met with sabotage and military aggression against Iran’s peaceful, safeguarded nuclear facilities. In recent months, rather than fulfilling their own obligations, the three European states launched a new campaign of political manipulation and legal distortion, seeking to weaponize the so-called snapback mechanism against Iran.

On 28 August 2025, these same three European parties, without any legitimate or legal foundation, unilaterally sought to bypass the JCPOA’s established dispute resolution process and directly approach the Security Council to activate the snapback mechanism.

As clearly outlined in the joint letter of the foreign ministers of Iran, China, and Russia dated 28 August 2025, the European attempt to invoke the so-called “notification of the start of the snapback process” is procedurally flawed and substantively invalid. No action taken in defiance of Resolution 2231 can create any legal obligation for member states. The Council’s voting record and the explicit positions of its members confirm that the alleged “notification” carries no legal validity.

Accordingly, any claim of “reviving” or “reimposing” terminated resolutions is null and void, lacks any legal basis, and cannot create binding legal effects.

Excellency,
The course adopted by the three European states constitutes a clear abuse of process and is incompatible with both the text and spirit of Resolution 2231 (2015) and the JCPOA. Resolution 2231 established a clear and limited framework for the termination of all previous Security Council resolutions related to Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.

Under operative paragraph 8, Resolution 2231 and its provisions — together with all terminated sanctions resolutions referenced therein — were to expire automatically in accordance with the timeline set by the Council. No subsequent decision by the Security Council has extended, suspended, or altered this timeline in any way. The Council’s deliberations and votes in September 2025 clearly confirmed the absence of any consensus to amend or reinterpret the resolution’s provisions.

Furthermore, at the 19th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), held on 15–16 October 2025 in Kampala, Uganda, 121 member states reaffirmed in their final document the timely expiration of Resolution 2231, stating:

“Reaffirming the continued importance of the spirit of cooperation and multilateralism that led to the consensus adoption of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), the Movement emphasizes that its provisions and timelines must be fully respected. The NAM also stresses that all provisions of this resolution must terminate in accordance with paragraph 8.”

The two Security Council votes held on 19 and 26 September 2025 also demonstrated the lack of consensus among members regarding the validity of the so-called snapback notification. Just as in 2020 — when the Council confirmed that the United States, having withdrawn from the JCPOA, was not entitled to invoke the mechanism — the European attempt likewise lacks any legal basis or effect and cannot justify any action or decision concerning the status of Resolution 2231 or previously terminated sanctions resolutions.

Moreover, Resolution 2231 grants no authority or mandate to the UN Secretary-General or the Secretariat to determine, declare, reapply, or reinstate resolutions that have terminated pursuant to operative paragraph 8. Any such action would exceed the legal boundaries set by the UN Charter and Resolution 2231 and would conflict with the Secretariat’s purely administrative and impartial role under the Charter.

The Secretariat is neither a decision-making nor an interpretative body. It cannot modify or extend the legal effects of Security Council decisions, nor can it create obligations for member states through unilateral statements. Any “notification of snapback” or “confirmation” by the Secretariat would be legally void and would undermine the institutional credibility of the United Nations.

Likewise, any attempt to revive or reactivate subsidiary bodies such as the “Sanctions Committee” or “Panel of Experts” after their termination under operative paragraph 8 is devoid of legal foundation. No member state, the Secretariat, or any official has the authority to act in this regard without a new and explicit decision by the Security Council.

Accordingly, Resolution 2231 (2015) remained in force until 18 October 2025 and, from that date onward, pursuant to its operative paragraph 8, all its provisions — as well as those of the previously terminated sanctions resolutions — have expired and ceased to have any legal effect.

None of the terminated measures can be revived or enforced after that date. Any attempt to do so is unlawful and null and void.

It would be appreciated if this letter could be circulated as an official document of both the Security Council and the General Assembly.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Seyed Abbas Araghchi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Islamic Republic of Iran

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