UN sanctions against Iran re-enter into force on Saturday evening. The move stems from accusations that Tehran violated the 2015 nuclear agreement, which was originally signed by Iran, the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China.
UN Sanctions Against Iran Reinstate: Tehran Promises Harsh Response
The deal was intended to limit Iran’s nuclear program to prevent the country from developing an atomic bomb.
Thirty days ago, Great Britain, France, and Germany (the so-called “E3”) initiated the “snapback” procedure—a mechanism for automatically reinstating sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the agreement. Now, at 8:00 PM ET (3:00 AM Kyiv/Moscow time), the sanctions will re-enter into force.
The sanctions include an arms embargo, a ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing, restrictions on the missile program, asset freezes for dozens of Iranian companies and officials, and a travel ban. Every UN member state will have the right to seize and dispose of any cargo related to prohibited activities.
Reaction of Iran and the International Community
Tehran strongly condemned the decision and warned of a “harsh response.” President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, attempted to defuse tensions, telling reporters: “This is not a catastrophe; the sky is not falling.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Western countries of ignoring Tehran’s proposals to maintain dialogue. In protest, Iran recalled its ambassadors from the UK, France, and Germany.
Russia also objected, calling the reintroduction of sanctions “illegal.” Sergey Lavrov stated that he had warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres that accepting these measures would be a “serious mistake.”
Economic Consequences
The Iranian economy, already weakened by previous sanctions, has suffered a further blow. The national currency, the rial, hit a new all-time low on Saturday, falling to 1,123,000 per dollar (versus 1,085,000 the previous day).
What’s next?
European powers proposed postponing the snapback for six months to allow for new negotiations. But a compromise was not found. In the coming week, EU restrictions will be added to UN sanctions.
Thus, Iran once again finds itself in international isolation: barred from developing missile technology, cut off from global trade, and with a record currency decline. The question is how far Tehran’s response will go and whether world leaders will be able to prevent the situation from escalating further.
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