(MENAFN) Iran, Russia, and China sent a joint letter on Saturday to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council, declaring that the nuclear deal with Tehran has officially ended, effectively closing the Council’s formal consideration of Iran’s nuclear issue.

The three nations criticized the UK, France, and Germany — collectively known as the E3 — for what they called a “legally and procedurally flawed” attempt to trigger the snapback mechanism under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 to reimpose sanctions on Iran. “The attempt by the E3 to trigger the so-called ‘snapback’ is by default legally and procedurally flawed,” the letter stated. It added that the European parties “lack the standing to invoke its provisions” after failing to meet their obligations under both the JCPOA and Resolution 2231.

The letter reaffirmed that all provisions of Resolution 2231 officially terminated on October 18, 2025, marking the end of the Security Council’s consideration of the Iranian nuclear issue. It called on all parties to pursue diplomatic engagement, dialogue, and political solutions while avoiding unilateral sanctions or threats that could escalate tensions.

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the 10-year timeline of Resolution 2231 — which had permitted reimposition of UN sanctions — has expired, ending all related restrictions and mechanisms. The move follows the E3’s August 28 announcement to activate the snapback mechanism after the US withdrew unilaterally from the JCPOA in 2018.

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