UN Security Council rejects bid to delay Iran sanctions snapback

The United Nations Security Council on Friday rejected a last ditch Russian and Chinese bid to delay the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran, clearing the way for a snapback of penalties over Tehran's disputed nuclear program that takes effect on Saturday. The council voted 9 against, 4 in favor and 2 abstentions, diplomats said, leaving in place measures set to ban conventional arms sales, curb uranium enrichment and reprocessing, restrict ballistic missile activities and impose asset freezes and travel bans on Iranian individuals and entities.

The procedural defeat of the draft resolution came a day after Britain, France and Germany initiated a 30 day process to restore sanctions under the 2015 nuclear accord's snapback mechanism. Britain’s UN envoy said the council had fulfilled the steps required by Resolution 2231 and that UN sanctions targeting Iranian proliferation would be reimposed this weekend. The penalties are due to take effect at 0000 GMT on Saturday, which is 8 p.m. Eastern on Friday.

Russia and China had proposed a six month delay to allow further negotiations, arguing diplomacy needed more time. Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, urged restraint...