The end of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on October 18, 2025 signifies the formal expiration of all its provisions and the complete removal of Iran's nuclear file from the agenda of the UN Security Council.
Resolution 2231 has established a specific timeline for the general lifting of all restrictions and its full conclusion.
Based on Paragraph 8 of the resolution, the Security Council is obligated to terminate all provisions of the resolution ten years after the adoption date as of October 18, 2015. Therefore, October 18, 2025, marks several crucial legal outcomes for Iran as follows:
Exit of Iran's Nuclear file from under Chapter VII of the UN Charter;
October 18, 2025 is the official final date for end of remaining nuclear-related restrictions under Resolution 2231;
Invalidation of Snapback Mechanism: such Mechanism becomes effective and loses its legal validity;
In essence October 18, 2025, is the date of legal expiry for Resolution 2231 and endpoint for complete normalization of Iran's nuclear issue.
Therefore, activation of the Snapback Mechanism by the E3 is fundamentally incompatible with their JCPOA participation and their resort to DRM or remedial measures is null and void. The EU3 action to revoke DRM in accordance with paragraph 11 of resolution 2231, is manifestation of their bad faith conduct aimed at depriving the Islamic Republic of Iran from its right under NPT and their intent to abuse the mechanisms under UNSR 2231(2015) and the JCPOA to reinstate the Resolutions that were all terminated by UNSCR 2231(2015).
As clearly Stated in common letter of Foreign Ministers of People's Republic of China, Islamic Republic of Iran and Russian Federation dated 28 August 2025, addressed to UN Secretary General and Presidents of UN Security Council and General Assembly, the E3 action is illegal and unwarranted and their move should not affect the legal reality of the resolution's termination on October 18, 2025, and any attempt to revive expired sanctions after this date will be considered as null and void.
As also further stated in the letter of H.E. Dr. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, dated 20 July 2025, addressed UN SG and Presidents of UNSC and UN GA, the EU 3 action has no legal standing as it is well established in international law that a party failing to fulfill its own obligations cannot then claim the benefits of the same agreement it has violated.
Furthermore, activating the DRM by E3/EU, while disregarding Iran's documented complaints of E3/EU non-performance contradicts the 2231 Resolution 's aims of ensuring balanced, good-faith compliance by all.
The E3/EU have explicitly condoned, supported and actively contributed to the unprovoked and reckless Israeli and later U.S. aggressions, right in the middle of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States against safeguarded Iranian nuclear facilities, and residential quarters, leading to the massacre of innocent women and children as well as cold blooded murder of scientists and off-duty military commanders.
These are all blatant violations of international law, thus making E3 accomplices in these war crimes. Therefore, it is abundantly clear that since Iran has lawfully and conclusively exhausted the DRM in accordance with paragraph 36 of the 2231 Resolution, and since the E3 have themselves failed to discharge their own obligations following the U.S. withdrawal; actively supported, participated in and even publicly admitted sponsorship of the Israeli act of aggression against Iranian safeguarded nuclear facilities and finally renounced their participant status in the JCPOA by rejecting the agreement's fundamental pillars in their statements, any their recourse to the DRM by these same parties is all legally baseless, morally flawed and politically dangerous and constituting a threat to international peace and security.
In view of the above, due to the legal disputes and challenges regarding the re-imposition of snapback sanctions, and considering the termination of UNSC Resolution 2231 on October 18, 2025, the new Snapback of pervious resolutions is not to be binding on UN Member States.