Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Thursday that would have extended the mandate for independent monitoring of international sanctions against Iran.
The vote comes amid continuing tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and the wider U.S.–Iran conflict.
The independent panel of experts was designed to monitor possible sanctions violations and provide evidence-based reports to the U.N. Security Council.
Eleven Security Council members voted in favor of extending the mandate, while Russia and China voted against it. Pakistan and Somalia abstained.
The United States criticized the decision, arguing that removing independent monitoring could make it more difficult for the international community to track potential sanctions violations.
Russia, however, accused Western governments of politicizing the Security Council and argued that disagreements surrounding Iran’s nuclear program should be addressed through diplomacy.
The dispute comes one year after U.N. sanctions on Iran were reimposed following accusations by France, Britain and Germany that Tehran had violated commitments under the 2015 nuclear agreement. Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons.
The latest Security Council confrontation highlights the deep divisions between the United States and its allies on one side and Russia and China on the other over how the international community should deal with Iran.
With the broader Middle East conflict continuing, the future of sanctions enforcement and Iran’s nuclear program remains a major international issue.