Today, the UN Security Council voted on a draft resolution aimed at halting the reimposition of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. As the resolution was not adopted, UN sanctions on Iran will be reinstated at the end of September, unless the 15-member body agrees to extend sanctions relief further.

Slovenia voted against the resolution and against the permanent lifting of sanctions. It did so because Iran has failed to comply with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. Iran has exceeded the permitted limits on uranium enrichment and expanded its stockpile of enriched uranium.

On behalf of Slovenia, Ambassador Samuel Žbogar emphasized the need for talks between Iran and the E3 — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. He called on both sides “to use the remaining days until 27 September for diplomacy,” adding that only diplomacy could resolve the nuclear issue.

The Security Council was obliged to vote on the draft resolution after the E3 triggered the snapback mechanism on 28 August. This launched a 30-day process to restore UN sanctions, citing Iran’s failure to abide by the 2015 nuclear deal, which was designed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

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