Tehran Closes the Chapter on UN Constraints and Regains Complete Sovereignty

In a major strategic development, the Islamic Republic of Iran announced on Saturday the official expiration of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the nullification of all sanctions and restrictions imposed under it. This marks the full restoration of Iran’s sovereign rights after a decade of political and economic pressure led by Western powers, particularly the United States.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that this step signifies the end of a long era of international dominance over Iran’s decision-making and the beginning of a new phase of full national independence and sovereignty in defense, nuclear, and economic fields.

The End of Restrictions — The Return of National Sovereignty

Foreign Minister Araghchi explained that all previous restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council have officially expired, placing Iran outside the Council’s agenda after the lapse of the period set by Resolution 2231, which governed the 2015 nuclear deal.
He emphasized that Iran is entering a new stage of independent national decision-making and strengthened sovereign capability against Western attempts at dominance, reaffirming that Tehran will continue to develop its peaceful nuclear program in accordance with its legal commitments and legitimate rights.

Araghchi also noted that the terrorist and sabotage attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in recent years aimed to derail normal cooperation between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, he stressed that such acts will not deter Iran from advancing its technological and scientific progress.

Legal Termination of Sanctions and Rejection of Europe’s “Snapback Mechanism”

In an official letter to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, Araghchi underscored that Resolution 2231 definitively expired on October 18, 2025, in accordance with paragraph 8 of its operative section. This means that all its provisions — and all earlier sanctions resolutions annulled by it — are now void.

He further asserted that any European attempts to activate the so-called “snapback mechanism” to reimpose sanctions on Iran are “legally and procedurally invalid.”
Such actions, he said, create no binding obligations on UN member states.

Araghchi reminded that in 2020, the Security Council itself confirmed that the United States, after withdrawing from the nuclear deal, lost any authority to invoke the mechanism — and the same principle applies to the current European attempt.

He also clarified that the UN Secretariat has no legal power to revive expired resolutions or reactivate defunct bodies such as the Sanctions Committee or Panel of Experts without a new, explicit Security Council mandate. Any such move, he said, would be illegal and without international effect.

Resolution 2231: The End of One Era and the Beginning of Another

Resolution 2231, adopted in 2015, provided the legal framework for the nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 group, stipulating the gradual lifting of sanctions in exchange for specific nuclear commitments.
With the expiration of its term on October 18, 2025, all restrictions on the sale and purchase of Iranian weapons, missiles, and drones are lifted, along with all other restrictive measures previously authorized by the Council.

This development represents a major turning point in Iran’s international standing, as the country fully regains its sovereign rights in defense, manufacturing, and peaceful nuclear cooperation.
It also reaffirms the failure of the U.S. “maximum pressure” policy and the collapse of Western hopes to isolate or subdue Tehran.

A New Phase of Regional Balance

Observers believe that the end of the UN resolution solidifies Iran’s role as a rising regional power capable of determining its own destiny without external oversight — especially amid escalating tensions with the United States and Israel over Tehran’s expanding influence and advanced defense programs.

This milestone is also expected to invigorate the regional Resistance Axis, which views Iran as the cornerstone of steadfastness against the U.S.-Israeli project and as a source of inspiration for free nations seeking liberation from foreign domination.

In essence, October 18, 2025, marks more than the expiry of a UN resolution — it marks Iran’s full return as a sovereign, self-reliant power with restored dignity and a renewed mandate to shape its own future.