UN Sanctions on Iran Resurface: What Are the Details?

A set of United Nations sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear program is scheduled to be reinstated by Saturday evening unless a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough occurs, which seems unlikely.

The sanctions return after the European troika (Britain, France, Germany) triggered the “snapback” mechanism outlined in the 2015 nuclear agreement, accusing Tehran of failing to meet its obligations.

Details of the Sanctions:

Targeting companies, organizations, and individuals directly or indirectly linked to the nuclear program or ballistic missile development, including providing equipment, funding, or expertise.

Imposing a ban on conventional weapons and prohibiting their sale or transfer to Iran.

Banning the import, export, or transfer of parts and technologies related to nuclear and missile programs.

Freezing assets of entities and individuals involved outside Iran, and banning travel of involved persons to UN member states.

Restricting Tehran’s access to banking and financial facilities that may support its nuclear or missile programs.

Subjecting anyone violating the sanctions to global asset freezes.

Parallel European Measures

In addition to the UN sanctions, separate measures from the European Union may also be reinstated. However, implementing the “automatic reinstatement” requires national legislation to enforce the decision, details of which remain unclear.

Iranian and International Positions

Iran has confirmed it will not succumb to pressure, while some officials downplay the sanctions’ impact on the economy. Russia and China have criticized the decision, raising questions about the extent of international compliance.

Kleman Thierm, a researcher at the International Institute for Iranian Studies affiliated with Sorbonne University, said, “There is a political and financial cost to bypassing sanctions because transactions become more expensive; shipping companies are a prime example of affected sectors.” He added that the sanctions will not impose a full blockade on Iran but will certainly increase the costs of shipping, importing, and supplying.