We deeply regret today’s veto of the Iran Panel of Experts mandate renewal: UK Explanation of Vote at the UN Security Council

Thank you to the US for their work on this important mandate.

For over twenty years, the international community has sought to address the threat posed by Iran's nuclear and missile programmes.

The United Kingdom has consistently championed a diplomatic solution.

Regrettably, Iran has too often chosen escalation over cooperation, creating the circumstances that continue to demand the Council's attention today: expanding her nuclear programme in ways that lack any credible civilian justification; failing to cooperate with the IAEA and denying access to IAEA inspectors; meaning that the IAEA has been unable to verify the current size, composition, or whereabouts of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile.

This Council established the 1737 Iran sanctions committee in 2006 because of these grave concerns, and established a Panel of Experts in 2010 to help the committee monitor the relevant provisions and to provide expert and independent advice to ensure that sanctions were effective and appropriate.

Russia and China voted for both these resolutions.

Twenty years later, we are again dealing with an Iran that refuses to comply with its basic legal requirements of legitimate civil nuclear activity.

The United Kingdom regrets that Russia and China have chosen to exercise their veto today, choosing to shield Iran and to undermine this Council's work to ensure that she doesn't acquire a nuclear weapon.

Sadly, we see similar actions beyond Iran.

In March 2024, Russia's veto of the 1718 Panel of Experts ended 14 years of monitoring expertise on the DPRK's sanctions evasion.

Russia has facilitated Iran and DPRK's evasions of sanctions.

And received Iranian-designed Shahed drones and the DPRK's ballistic missiles, to fuel her brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.

But while Russia and China's vetoes today reduce the Council's understanding of how these sanctions are being implemented, they do not change the fundamentals.

Sanctions against Iranian proliferation remain fully in force, binding on each and every UN Member State.

The United Kingdom stands ready to work with all partners towards a negotiated settlement, to uphold and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime, and to ensure that Iran never acquires or develops a nuclear weapon.