The United Nations Security Council decided to reestablish the 1737 Committee, which oversees the implementation of sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program. This decision was based on concern among members about an Iranian nuclear program progressing without international oversight.
According to the recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that during this reporting period, Iran had not engaged the Agency on unresolved safeguards issues.
Director General Grossi called on Iran to engage the Agency constructively in order to facilitate the implementation of safeguards in Iran and implement the relevant provisions of Security Council and Board resolutions.
“We echo that call,” said Ambassador Tammy Bruce, Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations. In addition, the U.S. circulated a resolution urging Iran to provide information on its enriched uranium stockpiles and affected facilities without delay.
For over eleven months now, IAEA inspectors have been unable to access either Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile or other previously declared low-enriched uranium stocks at facilities hit a year ago by U.S. airstrikes.
In addition to denying the IAEA access to verify the suspension of its enrichment activities, Iran has also attempted to advance its ballistic missile program.
This program has enabled recent strikes by Iran and Iran-affiliated groups against Bahrain, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and the UAE.
Moreover, Iran has violated the UN prohibition on the export of Iranian weapons, since the reimposition of those measures last September, warned Ambassador Bruce.
Iran has proliferated conventional capabilities around the world, including to nonstate actors.
Iran’s defiance of the Security Council’s resolutions has been enabled by two members of this Council, said Ambassador Bruce.
“Russia and China have sought to neutralize this Committee, render Iran a beholden partner, and divert international attention away from their own noncompliance with this regime.”
Russia has repeatedly acquired close-range ballistic missiles from Iran in violation of Resolution 1747. In January 2026, Moscow provided Iran with attack helicopters in violation of Resolution 1929.
“The Security Council has a clear mandate,” declared Ambassador Bruce, “to enact the 1737 Sanctions Committee and the associated Panel of Experts.”
“This Committee, and these resolutions, provide the Council with a peaceful means of resolving threats to the international security and welfare.”
Ambassador Bruce urged fellow Security Council members to “implement Council instruments designed to advance resolutions peacefully.”
President Donald Trump is committed to ensuring that Iran never develops or acquires a nuclear weapon, and his longstanding preference remains diplomacy.
“We call on China and Russia,” said Ambassador Bruce, “to halt subversion of Council decisions,” and to not “obstruct the possibility of peace.”