Iran, Russia, China condemn Western draft resolution at IAEA

Iran, Russia, and China issued a joint statement at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, warning that a draft resolution spearheaded by the United States, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom (E3) is a counterproductive maneuver designed to destabilize an already fragile geopolitical environment. The statement was read aloud on Wednesday by Russia's permanent representative in Vienna.

The three powers formally challenged the legal basis for holding Iran to defunct restrictions, pointing to the expiration of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. "We emphasize that the current agenda item of the Board of Governors regarding the implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement and relevant provisions of UN Security Council resolutions in the Islamic Republic of Iran is inappropriate," the joint statement read. "In accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015), all of its provisions terminated on October 18, 2025."

The statement drew attention to unprecedented challenges facing the nuclear non-proliferation regime following military strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The trio noted that repeated attacks on safeguarded Iranian facilities, coupled with continuous threats of further aggression, have deeply undermined the core pillars of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing concluded by urging other members of the IAEA Board of Governors to see through the Western resolution, which is framed under the guise of "supporting" the Director General. The three nations pointed out that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi himself did not recommend any punitive Board action in his official report. They labeled the Western push "untimely, counterproductive, and deeply politicized," appealing to all responsible member states to refrain from supporting it.

A sustainable resolution, the statement concluded, can only be achieved through an immediate and permanent halt to all military strikes, the removal of threats of aggression, and strict respect for a nation's inalienable right to develop peaceful nuclear technology without discrimination. According to Mehr News, the joint statement was issued on Wednesday.