According to a recent report by Amwaj Media, Russia has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations to extend UN Security Council Resolution 2231 on Iran sanctions, which is set to expire on October 18. Resolution 2231 endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and lifted UN sanctions on the country in accordance with the deal. The resolution also contains a snapback mechanism for the sanctions, which can be triggered by any of the current members of the JCPOA.

With the expiration of Resolution 2231 in October, the sanction snapback mechanism would also expire, making the reimposition of sanctions difficult and potentially impossible. In response, Britain, France and Germany have issued an ultimatum to Iran to allow inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog into its nuclear sites and restart talks with the U.S. or be subject to sanctions snapback—conditions with which Iran is unlikely to comply. Prior U.S.–Iran talks failed after Israel’s initiation of the 12-Day War.

Russia’s proposal to extend the expiration date of Resolution 2231, if ratified, would allow more time for U.S.–Iran relations to normalize and negotiations to begin. Whether the resolution will meet with the approval of European leaders—whose distrust of Russia has increased significantly since the original approval of the JCPOA, thanks to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war—is still unclear.