Iran Faces imminent Sanctions as nuclear Deal Hangs in Balance
NEW YORK – International sanctions against Iran are poised to be reinstated as early as September 28th, following a United Nations Security Council decision on Friday, September 19th, to allow the “Snapback” mechanism to proceed. The move comes after the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), designed to curb Iran’s nuclear program, nears its expiration date in October.
The JCPOA, which lifted previous sanctions, was unilaterally abandoned by the United States in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump, prompting Iran to gradually roll back its commitments under the agreement.
France, the United Kingdom, and germany – the European signatories to the JCPOA (known as the E3) – are attempting a last-minute effort to avert the sanctions’ return. They have proposed a six-month postponement contingent on Iran meeting three key conditions: reopening negotiations with the United States and the E3, allowing inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to resume inspections of Iranian nuclear facilities, and providing a full accounting of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles – a request made three months after reported strikes against its nuclear program by Israel and the United States.
despite limited optimism, the E3 continue to pursue these concessions as the deadline for the sanctions’ reactivation rapidly approaches. The reinstated sanctions will include an embargo on Iranian oil exports and restrictions on arms trade with the Islamic Republic.
