Overview

• UN measures tied to the 2015 nuclear deal snapped back at 8 p.m. ET on Sept. 27 after the Security Council rejected a Russian‑Chinese bid to delay, restoring asset freezes and weapons‑related bans binding on member states.
• Iran denounced the reactivation and warned it could suspend cooperation with the IAEA, as European sponsors welcomed the move yet stressed that negotiations remain possible.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Tehran to enter direct talks, arguing diplomacy remains available and pressing countries to implement the renewed sanctions without delay.
• North Korean state media reported Kim Jong Un convened nuclear scientists on Sept. 26 and ordered expanded production of nuclear material and warheads, calling nuclear force the core of national security.
• South Korea’s President Lee Jae‑myung assessed that Pyongyang has secured enough warheads for regime survival, said ICBM work is down to atmospheric re‑entry technology, and warned output could rise by roughly 15–20 bombs a year with future export risks.