Overview
- At a Dec. 23 Security Council briefing, U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus said Washington is ready for direct, meaningful negotiations only if Iran accepts no uranium enrichment on its soil.
- Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani rejected a zero‑enrichment demand as contrary to its Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty rights and said Iran will not bow to pressure or intimidation.
- Britain, France and Germany triggered a snapback in late September that reinstated a U.N. arms embargo and other sanctions over alleged deal violations by Iran.
- Russia and China dispute the snapback’s legality, argued the relevant resolution provisions expired on Oct. 18, and objected to Tuesday’s meeting, which proceeded anyway.
- A planned sixth negotiating round after the June Iran–Israel war was canceled, the gap has widened since, and the IAEA reports Iran holds over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60% while Tehran maintains its program is peaceful.