China defends Iran's right to peaceful nuclear energy

China has called for the international community to respect Iran’s “legitimate” right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. This statement was made by Sun Lei, China’s deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during a General Assembly meeting regarding a recent United Nations Security Council vote.

On September 17, the Security Council failed to adopt a resolution intended to renew the mandate of a UN Panel of Experts responsible for monitoring sanctions against Iran through the “snapback mechanism” until September 2027. The resolution received 11 votes in favor, two against (China and Russia), and two abstentions.

Beijing and Moscow have challenged the validity of the snapback mechanism, arguing that Resolution 2231 expired in October 2025. Sun Lei attributed the current tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program to the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018, as well as subsequent “maximum pressure” campaigns. He also noted that the United Kingdom, France, and Germany have failed to fulfill their obligations under the JCPOA.