In the wake of the expiration of the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran’s growing alignment with Russia and China marks a significant turning point in the global balance of power.
This trilateral front — united in rejecting the continuation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 — has effectively challenged Western efforts to revive the so-called “snapback mechanism”, which aimed to restore sanctions against Iran.
Observers in Tehran view this joint stance not as a temporary diplomatic dispute, but as a geopolitical shift signaling the birth of a new global order, one that challenges the monopoly of Western hegemony and questions the legitimacy of the current international system.
A Unified Eastern Front
In a highly symbolic move, Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing sent two coordinated letters: one to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, and another to IAEA Director Rafael Grossi, declaring that they no longer recognise any Western-imposed sanctions on Iran or the legitimacy of keeping its nuclear file under political surveillance.
This Eastern position, backed by 120 member states of the Non-Aligned Movement, reflects a collective rejection of Western dominance and a growing willingness to reshape the rules of international influence.
Analysts describe this as the most explicit manifestation yet of a multipolar world in formation — a world where power is distributed, not dictated.
The Erosion of Western Hegemony
Building on Iran’s coordination with Russia and China, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stated that Tehran now possesses the essential components to become a central hub for regional and international cooperation.
He stressed that this direction is a foundation for resisting the unipolar structures that have long dominated global decision-making.
During his speech at the Regional Forum on Local Diplomacy held in Mashhad, Qalibaf declared that the failure of Washington and its European allies to reactivate the “snapback mechanism” — due to opposition from two permanent Security Council members — is a practical declaration of a new world’s birth.
“International decisions are no longer the monopoly of one capital,” he asserted, describing this as the beginning of the decline of Western dominance in shaping global policy.
A Turning Point for Iran and the Global South
Former Iranian ambassador to Libya, Jafar Qanadbashi, described the post-deal period as a decisive phase in Iran’s nuclear journey.
He believes that the Eastern challenge to Western political will marks the beginning of a new global reality, as nations of the Global South unite to reclaim their independence from Western political control.
Qanadbashi told Al Jazeera Net that the support of 120 Non-Aligned Movement states for the Iranian-Russian-Chinese position demonstrates a collective determination to review and reform the international system, defending the UN’s credibility against Western manipulation and asserting legal sovereignty against selective law enforcement.
He added that Iran is redrawing its alliances and foreign strategy in response to the illegal excesses of the U.S. and Europe, whose persistent interference in global institutions has eroded the legitimacy of international law itself — opening the door to a new, more decentralised world order.
A Declared Strategic Alliance
According to Qanadbashi, the open support of Russia and China for Iran constitutes a clear declaration of strategic partnership against Western pressure, with wide-ranging consequences for both regional and global power structures.
This cooperation — especially through organisations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and BRICS — represents an emerging infrastructure for an alternative global order that prioritises mutual sovereignty and economic balance over Western control.
He warned, however, that this East-West split over Resolution 2231 risks creating a dual legal reality, undermining the UN Security Council’s authority and transforming international resolutions into mere political recommendations.
When global consensus collapses, he added, chaos and decentralisation inevitably follow.
Iran and the Birth of a Multipolar World
Many Iranian observers see the current dispute as more than a legal interpretation — they view it as a clear sign of a new multipolar world taking shape.
This emerging order, they believe, promises a more balanced distribution of influence — yet carries its own risks of instability.
Political researcher Mehdi Shakibaee warned that when one global power bloc senses it is losing dominance, it may ignite major wars — as happened before the First and Second World Wars — to disrupt the rival bloc’s rise.
Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, Shakibaee said that the world today is witnessing the early symptoms of a new order forming beyond the Western sphere, with Iran and its allies carving their path through economic resistance and strategic coalitions.
He added that the U.S. and its European partners may resort to dangerous gambles — potentially new conflicts — to preserve their crumbling global influence.
The Expanding Confrontation with the West
Iranian analysts note that the post-JCPOA phase has not ended with the deal’s expiration; rather, it has evolved into a broader confrontation.
According to some studies, the Iran-Russia-China trio plans to shift the battleground from the UN Security Council to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — aiming to block Europe’s attempts to impose new nuclear restrictions on Tehran.
Researcher Mehdi Kharatian, director of the Reviving Politics Institute, explained that Russia and China, as permanent Security Council members, are preparing to use multiple pressure tactics — from objecting to IAEA budget approvals and oversight procedures, to blocking technical reports before they reach the board.
In a post on the Rahbord Irani Telegram channel, Kharatian described this as a diplomatic victory for Iran, crediting its foreign policy for advancing the nuclear file beyond Western control.
He stressed, however, that the legal and diplomatic battle is far from over, warning that the West will continue to seek leverage through procedural and financial tools to pressure Tehran.
