UNITED NATIONS, 18 September 2026 (Nosheen): Pakistan abstained from a United Nations Security Council vote on extending the mandate of an independent panel monitoring sanctions on Iran, while Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution seeking to extend the panel’s mandate. Eleven Security Council members voted in favour of the resolution, while Pakistan and Somalia abstained. Addressing the council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad called for diplomacy and dialogue to resolve outstanding issues concerning Iran’s nuclear programme. He said growing regional tensions, strikes on nuclear facilities and differences among permanent members had made the issue increasingly difficult to address through dialogue. Ahmad reiterated Pakistan’s position that the Iran nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rights and responsibilities of all parties. He also stressed the important role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), calling for it to carry out its mandate independently and without political interference. The ambassador urged all parties to implement commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, return to the negotiating table and allow diplomacy to contribute to regional and international peace and security.