The US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, accused the Russian Federation and China of attempting to protect Iran from international sanctions by blocking the work of Committee 1737, established to monitor compliance with sanctions against Tehran.
This is reported by Kyiv24
US Position on Sanctions Against Iran
Waltz reminded that all UN member states must adhere to the arms embargo on supplying weapons to Iran, prohibit the transfer and trade of missile technologies, and block relevant financial assets. According to him, these measures have been reinstated in accordance with the strict UN sanctions that were in effect until 2015 and are now relevant again. He emphasized that these restrictions are not arbitrary but aimed at countering the threats posed by Iran’s nuclear, missile, and conventional weapons, as well as its support for terrorism.
“All UN member states must impose an arms embargo on Iran, prohibit the transfer and trade of missile technologies, and freeze relevant financial assets – in accordance with the strict UN sanctions that were in effect until 2015 and have now been reinstated,” said Waltz.
Reactions from Russia, China, and Iran
According to Waltz, Russia and China are blocking the work of the sanctions committee not for legal reasons but to protect their partner – Iran – and to maintain defense cooperation, which is now again prohibited. The Chinese representative, Fu Cong, stated that it was the actions of the US that provoked the Iranian nuclear crisis and that during negotiations, they resorted to the use of force, undermining diplomatic initiatives.
The Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, accused the United States and its allies of fueling “hysteria” regarding Iran’s alleged desire to obtain nuclear weapons, which, according to him, has not been confirmed by IAEA reports. Nebenzya claims that the purpose of the accusations was to justify military actions against Tehran and provoke escalation in the Middle East.
The Iranian ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, emphasized to reporters that his country’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, and Iran does not recognize any new sanctions against itself.
Security Council Decisions on Sanctions
At the UN Security Council meeting, which is chaired by the US in March 2026, Russia and China attempted to block the discussion of the committee responsible for enforcing sanctions against Iran. However, the discussion was supported by 11 of the 15 members, with two voting against and two abstaining.
Committee 1737 was established in 2006 by a UN Security Council resolution to report on compliance with restrictions against Iran every 90 days. In 2015, Resolution 2231 suspended the previous sanctions, including the work of this committee.
In September 2025, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom initiated a “snapback” mechanism to restore UN sanctions against Iran, which had been temporarily suspended by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and Resolution 2231.
Former US President Donald Trump, justifying strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, stated that Iran could obtain nuclear weapons within two weeks if the US did not take action.