Geneva: The United Nations has reinstated sweeping sanctions on Iran, including an arms embargo, following a move by Britain, France, and Germany that Tehran has warned will provoke a harsh response.
The decision, announced late Saturday, came after the three European powers triggered the so-called snapback mechanism at the UN Security Council, accusing Iran of breaching the 2015 nuclear agreement designed to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has consistently denied any intention of pursuing nuclear arms.
The return of UN sanctions, originally imposed between 2006 and 2010, marks the collapse of the decade-old nuclear accord, signed by Iran, the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany.
The deal had already unraveled after the US withdrew in 2018, but the reinstatement of sanctions by the Security Council is expected to further inflame tensions in the Middle East, only months after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Sanctions were reimposed at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) on Saturday. They include a ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing, restrictions on ballistic missile development, an arms embargo, travel bans, asset freezes, and limits on Iran’s ability to engage in nuclear-related commercial activities abroad. All member states are authorized to seize banned materials linked to Iran’s nuclear program.
Iran immediately recalled its ambassadors from Britain, France, and Germany in protest. President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, stressed that Iran would not withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
This evening, the UN triggered snapback sanctions on Iran. We commend France, Germany, and the United Kingdom on their decisiveness and resolve. Six UN resolutions have been reactivated, prohibiting Iranian nuclear enrichment and restoring restrictions on Iran’s nuclear and…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 28, 2025
“We urge Iran and all states to abide fully by these resolutions,” the foreign ministers of France, Britain, and Germany said in a joint statement, while emphasizing that diplomacy remained on the table.
Moscow sharply rejected the move. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the sanctions unlawful and warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres that recognizing them would be a major mistake.
Washington also underscored the importance of negotiations. “The reimposition of UN sanctions is not the end of diplomacy,” the European powers said. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that President Donald Trump remained open to a new agreement but insisted Iran must accept direct talks held in good faith, without stalling or obfuscation.
Until then, Rubio said, countries should enforce sanctions “immediately to pressure Iran’s leaders to do what is right for their nation, and best for the safety of the world.”
Iran’s already fragile economy was hit further by the announcement. The rial currency tumbled to a record low of 1,123,000 per U.S. dollar on Saturday, down from 1,085,000 the previous day, according to exchange tracking sites.
With the sanctions snapback, Iran faces renewed isolation. Its ability to procure weapons, develop ballistic missile technology, or expand uranium enrichment will be sharply curtailed. Travel bans and asset freezes will also target dozens of Iranian officials and entities.
