EU Reimposes Sanctions on Tehran as Iranian Officials Threaten Consequences

Latest Developments

EU Sanctions Iranian Trade: The European Union reinstated its sanctions against Iran on September 29 after a “snapback” of UN sanctions over Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities took effect two days earlier. The move includes freezing the assets of Iranian banks, travel bans on certain officials, and a ban on the transport and purchase of crude oil, as well as gold and certain naval equipment. The European Union stated that the sanctions were a result of Tehran’s “continued non-compliance with the [2015] nuclear agreement” but added that the “door for diplomatic negotiations remains open.” The snapback of the sanctions that were suspended under the agreement — known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — was triggered by France, Germany, and the United Kingdom in August after determining that Tehran had violated “the near entirety of its JCPOA commitments.”
Tehran Says Sanctions ‘Unjustifiable’: Iranian leaders urged countries not to comply with UN sanctions after a snapback of sanctions. The Iranian Foreign Ministry labeled the snapback “unjustifiable” and called on “all countries to refrain from recognizing this illegal situation.” Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf threatened that any country upholding the sanctions, including the three that initiated the snapback, “will face serious reciprocal action from Iran.”
Rial Slides to Record Low: On September 28, the Iranian rial’s value dropped to a record low of 1.1 million to $1. Iran’s ally Russia, which has also been heavily sanctioned for its invasion of Ukraine, implied that it would not uphold the sanctions. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the move was part of the “West’s policy of sabotaging the pursuit of constructive solutions … through blackmail and pressure.” On September 26, the UN Security Council rejected a last-ditch proposal by Russia and China to delay the reimposition of the sanctions.

FDD Expert Response

“Snapback restores older and tougher UN Security Council resolutions on Iran while also updating sanctions lists. New penalties and prohibitions will need to be enforced. To that end, Iran’s lawyers at the Security Council are aiming to stonewall implementation of all the measures found in the six resolutions that have been imposed on Tehran. Washington and its European partners will need to prepare for several bureaucratic knife fights over Iran at the United Nations.” — Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow

“The UN Security Council is now aligned with President Donald Trump’s policy of no enrichment and no reconstitution of Iran’s nuclear weapons-related activities. Iran’s transfers of drones and missiles to Russia are once again illicit. Now, we will need to hold Russia, China, and other UN members accountable for any material support to Iran’s nuclear, missile, and advanced conventional arms programs.” — Richard Goldberg, Senior Advisor