Iran, Russia, China declare end of UN oversight on nuke deal

In a joint communication to the IAEA on October 30, the permanent representatives of Iran, Russia, and China informed IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi that, with the expiration of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on 18 October 2025, the Agency’s mandate to report on Iran’s nuclear activities under that resolution has formally ended.

The three countries also reiterated their opposition to the European “snapback” initiative, calling it legally baseless, and urged all parties to pursue dialogue and diplomacy rather than unilateral measures.

What follows is the text of the letter by Iran’s Saeed Iravani, China’s Fu Cong, and Russia’s Vassily Nebenzia:

Excellency,

We have the honour to transmit herewith, in the attachment, a joint letter dated 24 October 2025 from the Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office at Vienna, addressed to His Excellency Mr. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), concerning the expiration, on 18 October 2025, of Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) and the consequent termination of the mandate of the Director General to report on verification and monitoring pursuant to that resolution.

We would appreciate it if the present letter and its attachment could be circulated as an official document of the Security Council.

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

H.E. Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the IAEA

Excellency,

We, Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of the People's Republic of China, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Russian Federation, have the honor to refer to the joint letter of our Foreign Ministers dated 28 August 2025 (INFCIRC1314-A/79/1004-S/2025/546), in which they set out common position regarding the recent actions by the United Kingdom, France, and Germany (E3) in relation to United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015).

We reaffirm that the invocation of the so-called "snapback" by the E3 is, by its very nature, legally and procedurally flawed. The E3, having themselves violated their commitments under both the JCPOA and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231, and having failed to exhaust the procedures established under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM), lack the requisite standing to invoke its provisions.

Therefore, we affirm that in accordance with UNSCR 2231, all its provisions have been terminated on 18 October 2025. In light of this termination, the mandate for the IAEA Director General's reporting on verification and monitoring under the UNSCR 2231 has lapsed. In the IAEA the implementation of the JCPOA, as well as verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of UNSCR 2231, were enacted by the resolution of the Board of Governors of 15 December 2015 (GOV/2015/72). This resolution remains in force and is the sole guidance that the IAEA Secretariat is bound by in this matter.

Operative paragraph 14 of this Resolution unequivocally stipulates that the Board "decides to remain seized of the matter until ten years after the JCPOA Adoption Day or until the date on which the Director General reports that the Agency has reached the Broader Conclusion for Iran, whichever is earlier". Consequently, as of 18 October 2025, the related agenda item has been automatically removed from the agenda of the Board of Governors, and no further action is required in this regard.

Our countries once again emphasize that it is essential that the relevant parties stay committed to finding a political settlement that accommodates the concerns of all parties through diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principles of mutual respect, and refrain from unilateral sanction, threat of force, or any other action that may escalate the situation, and that all countries should contribute to creating a favorable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts.

It is the hope of the Permanent Missions of China, the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran that this letter will be duly circulated to all IAEA Member States by the Secretariat as an INFCIRC document.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of our highest consideration./mehr