With Iran’s nuclear sanctions in the news, Sunil Rao, Foreign and International Law Librarian at UW Law Library, has put together some helpful research sources covering the history, the sanctions framework, and the snapback mechanism now at the center of a dispute in the UN Security Council.

The Council recently held an open briefing on the work of the  UN 1737 Sanctions Committee, established in 2006 to monitor Iran’s nuclear activities. Russia and China objected to the session, arguing that the snapback was never validly triggered and that the sanctions committee no longer exists. The Council voted 11-2 to proceed.

The dispute has its roots in the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal endorsed by the Security Council through Resolution 2231 (2015). That resolution lifted earlier sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program and included a “snapback” provision to automatically reimpose sanctions if Iran fell out of compliance. France, Germany, and the UK invoked it in August 2025, and the sanctions returned. Russia and China dispute whether that invocation was legally valid — a disagreement now playing out in open Security Council sessions.

Where to Start Your Research

If you’re exploring the history, sanctions framework, or snapback mechanism in more detail, in addition to the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, here are some good places to start:

  • The 1737 Sanctions Committee page : Official meeting records, lists of individuals and entities subject to sanctions, and implementation guidance.
  • The Congressional Research Service: The CRS publishes a regularly updated report, Iran’s Nuclear Program and UN Sanctions Reimposition  CRS reports are a solid starting point for understanding the policy and legislative history behind a topic like this.
  • Security Council Report:  An independent organization that tracks Security Council activity in detail. Their “What’s in Blue” briefings — including a recent analysis of the 1737 Committee session — are especially helpful for understanding what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • For a scholarly take on the legal arguments around the snapback dispute, see a February 2026 analysis from Opinio Juris that walks through the Western and Russian-Chinese positions.
  • For broader context on Iran’s legal system and government structure, see our Iran Legal Research Guide.

This post originally appeared in the UW Law Library Newsletter and was written by Sunil Rao, Foreign and International Law Librarian.