The UN Security Council on Friday failed to adopt a resolution that would have extended the 2015 Iran nuclear deal for six months to allow more time for diplomacy.

The draft resolution, tabled by China and Russia, received four votes in favor, nine votes against and two abstentions, failing to secure the nine positive votes required for adoption.

If adopted, the resolution would have extended the nuclear deal between Iran and the six countries – Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States – along with Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the deal, for six months. It would also have prevented the "snapback" of UN sanctions against Iran.

Algeria, China, Pakistan and Russia voted in favor of the draft resolution, while Guyana and the Republic of Korea abstained. The remaining nine members of the Security Council voted against it.

Britain, France and Germany – the three European countries involved in the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – claimed they triggered the snapback mechanism on August 28 by notifying the Security Council of Tehran's "non-performance."

Under Resolution 2231, the UN sanctions in place before the resolution's adoption would resume 30 days after the notification unless the Security Council adopts a resolution to decide otherwise. The draft resolution to that effect, presented on September 19, failed.

However, the legality of the three countries' actions has been questioned, as they bypassed the Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) outlined in the JCPOA and Resolution 2231.

According to the JCPOA and Resolution 2231, the DRM has 35 days to resolve the dispute. A snapback can only be triggered if the DRM fails to resolve the issue.

Resolution 2231 is set to expire on October 18, 2025, after which time the Security Council will cease considering the Iran nuclear deal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that his country's cooperation agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be terminated if UN sanctions are reimposed.

Iran and the IAEA reached an agreement to resume cooperation in Cairo on September 9.

In his remarks to the Security Council on Friday, Araghchi confirmed that IAEA inspectors are currently in Iran carrying out their duties.

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)