UN Sanctions Against Iran Set to Return This Weekend

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (Reuters) – The United Nations is preparing to reimpose wide-ranging economic and military sanctions on Iran, set to take effect at midnight GMT on Sunday.

This decision comes after the E3 countries, Britain, France, and Germany, initiated a 30-day process on August 28, citing Iran’s failure to comply with a 2015 nuclear agreement. Following accusations of significant violations, the E3 urged Iran to return to negotiations to avoid sanctions.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has condemned the impending sanctions as “unfair, unjust, and illegal.” He asserted that Iran would still cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) but claimed foreign powers were using the situation to incite conflict in the region.

The E3’s efforts to delay the reimposition of sanctions failed last week when a resolution received only four votes out of 15 in the UN Security Council. The impending sanctions will restore measures that include an arms embargo and restrictions on uranium enrichment.

The background to the sanctions stems from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), an agreement reached in 2015 aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear potential in exchange for sanctions relief. The deal unraveled in 2018 when former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement, reinstating stringent sanctions and further isolating Iran.

While Iran’s government maintains its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, recent escalations, including Israel‘s airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, have intensified scrutiny from Western powers. The IAEA has indicated concerns over Iran’s enriched uranium levels, currently reported to be above 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade level.

In response to the looming sanctions, Iranian officials expressed a commitment to transparency and dialogue, yet reiterated their determination not to yield to foreign pressure. As tensions rise, Pezeshkian stated that Iran will continue to advance despite setbacks, emphasizing the nation’s capability to withstand external pressures.