Iran Envoy Slams UNSC for Holding Western-Backed Meeting

Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, strongly criticized the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for convening a meeting on July 10, 2026, under the agenda item "Non-Proliferation." The meeting, requested by certain members, focused on Resolution 2231, which Iravani argued has no legal force since its expiry on October 18, 2025.

In a statement delivered at a UNSC stakeout, Iravani expressed appreciation for Russia and China for opposing the meeting and rejecting claims by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States regarding the continued validity of Resolution 2231. He also thanked Pakistan and Somalia for abstaining from voting on the meeting's convening.

Iravani asserted that all measures, mandates, reporting requirements, and mechanisms established under Resolution 2231 terminated upon its expiry. He stated that there is no legal basis for the Secretary-General to submit reports, for the Secretariat to brief the Council, or for the Security Council to discuss the issue. He described the Secretary-General's report and the briefing by Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo as violations of the Secretariat's mandate.

Regarding the so-called snapback mechanism, Iravani reiterated Iran's consistent position that the E3 (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) had no legal standing to invoke it, as they failed to fulfill their commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and Resolution 2231. He accused them of supporting unlawful military attacks against Iran, including attacks on Iran's IAEA-safeguarded peaceful nuclear facilities. He argued that a party that has materially breached its obligations cannot invoke rights arising from the same legal instrument.

Iravani rejected allegations made by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States regarding Iran's peaceful nuclear program, calling them politically motivated and a distortion of Resolution 2231. He blamed the United States' unlawful withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 and the E3's failure to fulfill commitments for the current situation. He also condemned military attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, including attacks on IAEA-safeguarded nuclear facilities in June 2025 and February 2026, as violations of the UN Charter.

Iravani emphasized Iran's compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) since 1970 and its rejection of weapons of mass destruction. He stated that Iran's nuclear program has remained exclusively peaceful under extensive IAEA verification. He criticized the Security Council for failing to condemn the United States and Israel for their attacks and for shifting responsibility onto Iran.

Addressing recent US military attacks on July 7 and 8, 2026, against Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Iravani called them flagrant violations of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and a material breach of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). He noted that under the MoU, responsibility for maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz rests exclusively with Iran, and any external interference would violate the agreement.

Iravani urged the Secretary-General and the Security Council to take effective measures to stop US aggression and ensure accountability. He stated that Iran remains committed to the MoU as long as the United States fully complies, but warned that continued violations would free Iran from its obligations under the agreement. According to Mehr News, the statement was made during a UNSC stakeout on July 10, 2026.