U.N. Security Council to vote on Iran snapback sanctions ahead of deadline

The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote Friday on a resolution to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, with an end-of-month deadline looming for the snapback mechanism to take effect. South Korea, which holds the council presidency, circulated the draft that would trigger the snapback and reimpose the penalties that existed before the 2015 nuclear deal unless at least nine members vote to block the move.

France, Germany and the United Kingdom moved last month to trigger the snapback process, a move designed to reimpose a broad slate of restrictions unless the council agrees to halt it. The penalties under the mechanism include a conventional arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile development, asset freezes, travel bans, and a ban on producing nuclear-related technology. The process is designed to be veto-proof unless the council agrees to stop it.

Over the past weeks, intensified diplomacy between Iran and European powers has continued without producing a resolution, and there are signals the sanctions are likely to be reimposed regardless of conditional talks. European leaders, including France and Germany, have warned that the window for a diplomatic solution is closing, urging Tehran to take credible steps toward addressing the demands of France, the United Kingdom and Germany and to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency by granting access to sites and reporting on nuclear material.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with other officials, has argued that a new round of U.N. sanctions would lack legal and logical justification, pointing to a recent deal mediated by Egypt that aims to allow IAEA access to Iranian facilities and require Tehran to report on the location and status of nuclear material. The IAEA’s director-general, Rafael Grossi, has said the Egypt-mediated agreement lays out procedures for inspection notifications and implementation, opens the door to inspections and access, and covers all relevant facilities within Iran.

In the background, tensions in the region have already been elevated by a recent 12-day confrontation in the area that saw both Israeli and American forces strike Iranian nuclear-related sites, raising questions about Tehran’s stockpile and broader regional security dynamics. Analysts caution that triggering the snapback could heighten tensions between Iran and Western powers, and Tehran has historically warned of potential responses, including actions related to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

The vote comes as leaders prepare to gather next week for the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting. The outcome of the Security Council decision will signal how far Western capitals are willing to press Tehran amid broader questions about Iran’s compliance with nuclear safeguards and the prospects for renewed diplomacy. The resolution remains the latest chapter in a long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, framed by a fight over sanctions, inspections, and regional security that continues to shape global diplomacy.

This report draws on coverage from Associated Press reporters and editors who are tracking developments in the United Nations and Europe, with context on how the Security Council maneuvers could influence Iran’s posture ahead of the world leaders’ summit. The situation remains fluid, and officials warn that outcomes could shift in the coming days as talks continue and the General Assembly approaches.