#UNGA80

🇷🇺🇩🇿 On September 27, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad and African Affairs of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Mohamed Attaf met on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

During the conversation, the Parties discussed key priorities for further strengthening the enhanced strategic partnership between Russia and Algeria, including the schedule of upcoming contacts at various levels.

Both Sides expressed satisfaction with the high level of trust-based political dialogue and well-established cooperation in various multilateral formats, including within the frameworks of the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.

An exchange of views also took place on pressing global and regional issues, with a focus on the situation in the Middle East and the Sahel-Saharan region.

🤝 The Parties underscored their readiness to continue close foreign policy coordination.

#RussiaAlgeria

📺 Remarks by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the General Debate of 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Key points (Unofficial translation):

• 80 years ago the most terrible war in human history came to an end. More than 70 million people fell victim to hostilities, hunger and disease. In 1945 the course of world history changed forever. We hold sacred the memory of brotherhood-in-arms with all Allies who then stood on the side of truth in the struggle against the forces of evil.

• #UNCharterIsOurRules The principles and the Charter agreed upon by the founding fathers of our Organization still serve as a bright beacon for international cooperation.

• We advocate for the unconditional observance of the principle of equality. In it lies the guarantee that all countries can take their rightful place in world affairs, regardless of their military power, population size, territory or economy.

• Russia strongly condemned the Hamas militants’ attack on peaceful Israelis on October 7, 2023. However, there is no justification for the brutal killing of Palestinian civilians, just as there is no justification for terrorism.

• The Arabic language is not banned in Israel, nor is Hebrew in Arab countries or Iran – but the Russian language is banned in Ukraine. Let me recall that Article 1 of the Charter speaks of the need to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion. Europe remains silent, obsessed with the utopian goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.

• The rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in the territories still under the control of the Kiev regime must be fully restored. On this basis we are ready to discuss the security guarantees for Ukraine.

• Russia and the US bear a special responsibility for world affairs, for avoiding risks that could plunge humanity into a new war.

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (#SCO) and #BRICS play a special role as mechanisms for coordination of countries of the Global South and East.

• NATO is already cramped in Europe, and it is expanding into the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, undermining the universal ASEAN mechanisms and creating threats not only to China and Russia but also to other countries in the region.

• Speaking of the future, we must not forget the lessons of the past – especially when Nazism is once again raising its head in Europe, militarization is gaining momentum under the same anti-Russian slogans. This causes particular concern given that a number of political figures, now in power in Brussels and certain EU and NATO capitals, seriously discuss World War III as a possible scenario.

• We call on member states and the Secretariat’s leadership to scrupulously follow all the Charter’s principles – without exception and without double standards. Then the legacy of the UN’s founding fathers will not be wasted.

Watch / Read — English subs included 👆

#UNGA80

🇺🇳 On the Seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter

On September 26, the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter held its seventh Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The participants stressed the growing influence and high profile of the Group which is becoming an apparent voice for the interests of the Global Majority, defending the goals and principles of the UN Charter in all their entirety and interconnectedness.

During the discussion, key challenges have been noted on the 80th anniversary of the world organisation’s founding document, primarily unscrupulous practices by Western nations in an attempt to retain their hegemony and thwart the establishment of new economic and political centres of power.

The Russian Side noted the Group’s achievements in the past year including the adoption, at its initiative, the UNGA resolution “Eradication of Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations” and proclaiming the International Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures.

The participants expressed satisfaction by the Group’s shared vision on the importance of resolving root causes so as to settle crises around the world, including around Ukraine.

The Group’s members expressed support and defenсe of the legitimate rights and aspirations of the people of the State of Palestine, which is a member of the Group, as well full solidarity with the Group’s coordinator from the government of Venezuela which is asserting national sovereignty against escalatory actions of the United States in the south of the Caribbean Sea.

Following the meeting, the Group members adopted a general political declaration, which reflects the basic approaches of the Group members toward key items on the international agenda, along with special declarations on African priorities, industrial development, and the security of Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities.

#UNCharterIsOurRules

⚡️ Foreign Ministry statement regarding the UN Security Council vote on the draft resolution for the technical extension of the JCPOA

Read in full

On September 26, the UN Security Council held a vote on technically extending, in their entirety and for another six months, the mandate concerning the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (#JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme and Resolution 2231 which endorsed it.

The resolution stressed the importance of finding a negotiated diplomatic solution to the issues addressed by Resolution 2231, noting the need for more time for substantive dialogue. It also welcomed the agreement between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed in Cairo on September 9, and provided a clear directive for continued engagement between the two parties.

A key element of the operative part of the Russian-Chinese draft was an urgent call on all initial JCPOA participants to resume negotiations on issues related to Resolution 2231 and the comprehensive agreements enshrined within it immediately.

🤝 We are grateful to Algeria and Pakistan for their resolute and energetic support of our efforts. We also note the stance of the Republic of Korea and Guyana, which, despite external pressure, did not vote against the draft.

The relevance of the resolution proposed by Russia and China was beyond doubt, given the rapid escalation of tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.

The United Kingdom, Germany and France are stubbornly pursuing a path of escalation, intent on using illegitimate methods to achieve the reimposition of UN sanctions against Iran, which were lifted a decade ago. In line with their openly confrontational course, these three countries – together with the United States, which long ago announced its withdrawal from the JCPOA and embarked on a path of violating Resolution 2231 – opposed the initiative from Moscow and Beijing.

In doing so, this group has effectively rejected the path of diplomacy, making a definitive choice in favour of provocation, pressure, and threats. These Western actors cynically pressured the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in a bid to co-opt them into a predatory, opportunistic, and fundamentally flawed policy. This approach leads to the destabilisation of international affairs and undermines the foundations of the international security system.

☝️ We are firmly convinced that the use of force to resolve issues in the field of nuclear non-proliferation must be excluded. Such methods are not only counterproductive and harmful but also dangerous as they lead to the exacerbation of disputes and their escalation into an uncontrollable conflict with tragic and irreversible consequences.

<...>

Supporters of “maximum pressure” on Iran appear to be attempting to assuage their guilt over the June attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, and to impose on the international community the notion of a serious threat emanating from Tehran. For them, any progress or improvement in cooperation between Iran and the IAEA is an obstacle to promoting their aggressive anti-Iran agenda. This is not the first time that European states have acted to undermine Iran’s agreements with the IAEA.

<...>

The United Kingdom, France and Germany have harmed not only the nuclear deal but also themselves by demonstratively violating Resolution 2231 and bypassing the agreed procedure. Consequently, neither their August 28 appeal in New York requesting snapback, nor the version of the resolution submitted by the presiding nation at their request, which was considered by the Security Council on September 19, could meet the stringent requirements of Resolution 2231.

❗️ Therefore, the so-called ‘snapback’ mechanism cannot be considered triggered. Resolution 2231 and the JCPOA remain in force and have not been cancelled. They retain their validity until October 18, 2025. The UN Secretariat has neither the reason nor the mandate to revise or deviate from the provisions of this resolution.

🎙 Excerpt from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the General Debate of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (New York, September 27, 2025)

WATCH the full speech (eng subs) ▶️

💬 Kiev regime, which seized power as a result of an anti-constitutional coup orchestrated by the West in 2014, is pursuing the dismantling of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and eradicating the Russian language by law from all areas of life, including education, culture and media.

❌ Ukraine is the only country in the world that has a law suppressing the native language of nearly half of its population.

Arabic is not banned in Israel and Hebrew is not prohibited in the Arab countries or Iran. But Russian is banned in Ukraine. I would like to remind you that Article 1 of the UN Charter states that it is necessary to promote “respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.”

Europe remains silent, obsessed with its utopian goal of delivering a “strategic defeat” on Russia. Therefore, the Kiev regime can do anything it wishes to do, including terrorist attacks against politicians and journalists, torture and extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate bombing of civilian facilities, and reckless sabotage targeting nuclear power plants.

As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stressed, since the very beginning, Russia has been and remains open to negotiations aimed at eliminating the root causes of the conflict. Russia’s security and vital interests must be reliably guaranteed. The rights of Russian and Russian-speaking people on territories remaining under the control of the Kiev regime must be restored in full.

☝️ This is the basis on which we are willing to discuss Ukraine’s security guarantees.

At the moment, neither Kiev nor its European sponsors show any sign of realising the gravity of the moment. <...> We pin certain hopes on continuing the Russian-US dialogue, especially since the Summit in Alaska.

***

This December marks the 65th anniversary of the General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. <...> The peoples of Africa and Asia refused to live under colonial oppression – a sentiment echoed by the populations of Crimea, Donbass and Novorossiya after the 2014 coup in Ukraine in their refusal to submit to the neo-Nazi regime in Kiev.

❗️ This regime, which came to power through illegitimate means, not only failed to represent their interests but also unleashed a war against them.

Today, Africa and the wider Global South are experiencing a renewed awakening as they strive for full independence – a process from which the UN must not stand apart. In December 2024, the General Assembly approved the Resolution on the Eradication of Colonialism in all its Forms and Manifestations.

As a next step, we call for a decision to declare December 14 the International Day against Colonialism. We welcome the role of the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter in consolidating efforts to counter neocolonial and other discriminatory practices against the Global Majority.

The Global Majority is now asserting its rights with a powerful voice. In this context, the #SCO and #BRICS play a prominent role as key mechanisms for coordinating the interests of the Global South and East.

These new realities have yet to be adequately reflected in the institutional architecture of our Organisation. The reform of the UN Security Council remains a particularly pressing issue.

✅ Russia advocates for its democratisation through broader representation of countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America. We support the candidacies of Brazil and India for permanent membership in the Security Council, as well as the redress of the historical injustice against Africa, based on parameters agreed upon by the continent’s countries themselves.

⚡️ Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:

💬 The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement following the UNSC vote on the draft resolution proposing a technical extension of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (#JCPOA). The statement reiterates the remarks Sergey Lavrov made at the final news conference.

Here's the rundown 👇

Concurrently with the #UNGA80, a series of events are unfolding that diplomats consider profoundly dangerous.

I am talking about a mechanism called “snapback.” In diplomacy, “snapback” is a procedure that allows restoring old UNSC sanctions against Iran.

The process was launched by the UK, France and Germany. They claim that Iran is allegedly in violation of 2015 nuclear deal, which calls for reimposing the sanctions as per UNSC Resolution 2231.

September 27 marked the conclusion of the 30-day period following the letter they sent to the UNSC, which failed to extend sanctions relief. Thus the previous sanctions regime vs Iran has been reinstated.

On October 18, the nuclear deal expires, and the Europeans were operating under a severe time constraint, determined to force through their decision before Russia assumed Presidency of UNSC. Russia and China opposed the decision. This was driven less by specific political stance and more by a determination to uphold legal impeccability.

On September 26, Moscow and Beijing made their last attempt to maintain legitimacy and seek a compromise by extending UNSC Resolution 2231 by another six months. The approach would allow time to pursue a diplomatic solution and prevent a potentially unpredictable escalation. The Europeans, however, require a decisive escalation. Beyond October 18, their available leverage would be effectively exhausted. This is why the resolution was not extended. The West voted against it.

The Europeans pulled off a crafty scheme. Resolution 2231 outlines a specific dispute resolution process. The Parties must first seek to address complaints through designated mechanism. Only in the event of an irreconcilable deadlock may the matter be referred to the UNSC. Contrary to the assertions of the European Three (France, Germany and the UK), this preliminary mechanism was never initiated.

London, Paris, and Berlin bypassed these mandatory stages and submitted their letter directly to the Security Council. From the perspective of international law, this looks like a con job: a party that violates the stipulated rules forfeits the right to invoke the legal mechanisms those rules provide. And they are serial violators of Resolution 2231. When on October 18, 2023, some of the restrictions on Iran expired, they introduced… equivalent national sanctions.

They violated two fundamental principles of international law: Pacta sunt servanda (“agreements must be kept”) and the Clean hands doctrine that prohibits a party from referring to legal documents if the party acted in bad faith.

For many years, the West itself has not complied with its part of the obligations under the Iranian deal. The United States even withdrew from the deal in 2018. Now, they are trying to exploit obvious legal moves to punish Iran.

The West continues to erode the check and balance system that was created after World War II and upholds international security.

September 27 is the last day of the 30-day period, meaning that formally, the snapback is automatically taking effect. However, legally and politically, it will be void.

A Russian diplomatic source: “The measures taken to restore the sanctions committee are unlawful. We do not recognise them and will take all necessary steps to counter their implementation. This will be a loud and contentious process, marked by mutual recriminations that will effectively create two parallel realities, one promoted by Westerners and one promoted by us, Russia, China and our allies.”

If the snapback has been pushed through while bypassing the rules, it will become a dangerous precedent. This is not simply a diplomatic nuance but a matter of global security and the future of the entire international system.

✅ Russia's delegation led by Minister Lavrov has concluded its “diplomatic marathon” at the High-Level Week of #UNGA80!

The pace and results were, as always, impressive. A few figures to: in 90+ hours, our diplomats held ~40 different events, meetings and talks with representatives of more than 50 countries.

Catch up with the #VideoRecap 👇

👉 #DAY1
👉 #DAY2
👉 #DAY3

#Food4Thought for all interested in world affairs & foreign policy 👇

🎙 Minister Lavrov’s address at the General Assembly
🎙 Minister Lavrov’s press conference