General Assembly: 16th plenary meeting, 81st session

Speakers in General Assembly diverge over veto use in Security Council to block renewal of Iran sanctions panel amid dispute over ‘snapback’.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / General Assembly
• Video Length: 02:17:44
• Production Date: 1 October 2026
• Asset Language: Arabic; English; French; Russian; Spanish; Chinese; Original
• Corporate Name: SECURITY COUNCIL
• Subject Topical: INTERNAL OVERSIGHT SERVICES; INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY; NON-PROLIFERATION; SANCTIONS; DIPLOMACY; DIALOGUE; VETO; NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION; NUCLEAR WEAPONS; JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION – JCPOA
• Geographic Subject: IRAN
• MAMS Id: 3639019
• Parent Id: 3636607
• Alternate Title: MTG GA 81 SESSION 16 PLENARY 01 OCT 2026 AM

Description

Pursuant to its veto initiative, speakers in the General Assembly today weighed in on the vetoes recently cast by China and the Russian Federation concerning a Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with monitoring implementation of United Nations sanctions on Iran.

At the centre of this issue is disagreement among the Council’s permanent members over whether UN sanctions are in effect against Iran. According to the Council-endorsed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a “snapback” mechanism would automatically reinstate these sanctions in the event of non-compliance. Countries’ positions as to whether this mechanism has been triggered diverge, and this issue has divided the Council for over a year.

Statements delivered:

• Russian Federation
• China
• European Union (on behalf of EU and its member States)
• Finland (on behalf of Nordic Countries)
• Netherlands (Kingdom of the) (on behalf of Benelux Countries)
• Austria
• Japan
• United States
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• France
• Italy
• Portugal
• Slovenia
• Australia
• Iran (Islamic Republic of)
• Denmark
• Bahrain
• Latvia
• Switzerland
• Liechtenstein
• Estonia
• Bulgaria
• Spain
• Israel
• New Zealand
• Germany
• Republic of Korea
• Indonesia
• Ecuador
• Timor-Leste
• South Africa
• Canada

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