Iran, Russia, and China are set to jointly notify the United Nations on Saturday that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and its related Security Council Resolution 2231 have officially expired. The move will formally end what remains of the 2015 nuclear accord and its UN enforcement mechanism, marking a significant geopolitical break from Western-backed nonproliferation efforts.
In an interview on Iranian state television Friday, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that the three countries will send a joint letter to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council declaring Resolution 2231 “no longer valid.” The letter will also state that all associated sanctions, including those “snapped back” by the E3—Britain, France, and Germany—in late September, are now considered null and void. These sanctions had previously targeted Iran’s arms trade, ballistic missile program, nuclear research, and financial transactions linked to pre-2015 restrictions.
With Saturday, dubbed “Expiration Day” in Tehran, approaching, many governments in the Global South have expressed support for the declaration. On Thursday, over 120 member states of the Non-Aligned Movement issued a statement asserting that Resolution 2231 automatically expires on October 18 and rejecting the E3’s attempt to reimpose sanctions as “illegitimate.”
The widespread refusal to enforce the sanctions effectively undermines their impact, leaving primarily Western-aligned states—many of which have limited or no economic ties with Iran—to continue compliance. Analysts say this development will grant Iran greater latitude in trade, arms cooperation, and diplomatic outreach, particularly with Russia, China, and a growing number of Asian and African partners.
The expiration also releases the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from its obligation to submit quarterly reports on Iran’s nuclear activities. Iranian officials have already declared they will sever ongoing cooperation with the agency following the reactivation of snapback sanctions by the E3.
The coordinated response by Iran, Russia, China, and much of the Global South underscores a broader shift away from Western-led systems of enforcement—a symbolic moment that reflects the deepening divide between Western powers and emerging non-aligned nations over the future of the international order.