In a special communiqué published on October 16, 2025, the group reaffirmed its support for the 2015 nuclear deal and criticized the United States for its unilateral withdrawal, as well as the E3 for failing to uphold their own commitments.
The full text of the communique is as follows:
1. The Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations reaffirms that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and its endorsement by Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) represents a landmark in multilateral diplomacy, which established a comprehensive framework ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program, lifted all related sanctions, and paved the way for normalized international relations.
2. The Member States of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations note that, by unanimously endorsing the JCPOA, Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) granted international legitimacy to the JCPOA and reaffirmed the Security Council’s central role in promoting peace through dialogue and cooperation.
3. The Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, in this context, commends the continued commitment of the Islamic Republic of Iran to dialogue, diplomacy, and good-faith implementation of its commitments.
4. The Member States of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations underscore that, in accordance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), all States Parties have the inalienable right to develop research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, without discrimination. These principles remain the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime and shall be fully respected and upheld in all relevant international efforts.
5. The Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations note that, given the fact that the E3 have ignored the root causes of the current situation surrounding the JCPOA – main among them is the unilateral withdrawal of the United States of America from the Plan, in May 2018, and the reimposition of its unlawful unilateral sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran – and have themselves ceased to fulfill their commitments under both the JCPOA and Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), as well as failed to complete the step envisaged under the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM), thus the invocation of the so-called “snapback” mechanism by the E3 in their letter dated 28 August 2025, addressed to the UN Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2025/538), is by default legally and procedurally flawed.
6. The Member States of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations reaffirm that Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) remains in effect until 18 October 2025, when, in accordance with its operative paragraph 8, all the provisions of the resolution will be terminated.
7. The Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations believes it is essential that the relevant parties stay committed to finding a political settlement that accommodates the concerns of all parties, through diplomatic engagement and dialogue, based on the principle of mutual respect, and refrain from the pursuit of unilateral coercive measures, threat of the use of force, or any other action that may escalate the situation, and that all countries contribute to creating a favorable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts to succeed.
IRNA