On July 20, 2015, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution endorsing the international agreement on Iran’s nuclear program, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was signed in Vienna on July 14 by the five permanent members of the Council, plus Germany, the European Union, and Iran.  According to a press release, the resolution sets “out a rigorous monitoring mechanism and timetable for implementation, while paving the way for the lifting of United Nations sanctions against that country.”  The resolution “reaffirmed that Iran should cooperate fully with the [International Atomic Energy Agency] to resolve all outstanding issues” and stated that sanctions adopted between 2006 and 2015 would be terminated after a positive report from the Agency.  Following the adoption of the resolution, U.S. Representative to the UN Samantha Power, stated that “the agreement cut off Iran’s pathways to fissile material for a nuclear weapon, while ensuring the vigorous inspections and transparency necessary for verification.”