• Iran announces it is no longer bound by nuclear deal restrictions after the 10-year agreement expired.
• The country emphasizes its ongoing commitment to diplomacy despite the deal's collapse.
• Western powers have long accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies.
• The deal's expiration has led to the reimposition of UN sanctions, complicating international negotiations.

On October 18, 2025, Iran announced it was no longer bound by restrictions on its nuclear program as a landmark 10-year agreement with world powers officially expired. The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "All provisions, including the restrictions on the Iranian nuclear programme and the related mechanisms are considered terminated." Despite this, Iran reiterated its "commitment to diplomacy," suggesting it remains open to negotiations with Western powers, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

Initially, the 2015 deal was designed to lift international sanctions on Iran in exchange for limitations on its nuclear program. However, following the U.S. exit during President Trump's administration, Iran began to withdraw from its commitments, eventually leading to the current situation where "the resolution, which allowed the reimposition of UN sanctions on Tehran, has officially expired," the Ministry stated, as highlighted by South China Morning Post and Le Monde.

Iran's announcement comes amid a backdrop of recent tensions, underscored by the reimposition of UN sanctions at the behest of the UK, France, and Germany. These countries triggered the “snapback” mechanism after accusing Iran of non-compliance with the deal. The Iranian Foreign Minister expressed that these sanctions, now rendered obsolete by the agreement's end, signify a double standard and "bad faith" on part of the European nations, according to Anadolu Agency and Channel News Asia.

The United Nations has raised alarms about Iran's advancing nuclear capabilities, with reports indicating that Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, close to the weapons-grade threshold of 90%. This enriches concerns regarding the peaceful intent of Iran's nuclear program, as stated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The agency has noted its challenges in verifying Iran's nuclear activities due to the complexities introduced by the recent armed conflicts, which have stalled negotiations, as per details from Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.