What will sanctions snapback mean for Iran?

A raft of UN levies will be reinstated, including an arms embargo and asset freezes

Billboards in Tehran show Iranian nuclear scientists killed by Israeli strikes in June. Reuters

Britain, France and Germany have launched a 30-day process to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, saying Tehran has not stuck to a 2015 deal that lifted the restrictions.

Known as the “snapback mechanism”, the procedure will lead to the reinstatement of a raft of sanctions that could deal a blow to an already struggling Iranian economy.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran 'will respond appropriately to this illegal and unjustified action'.

What sanctions will be reimposed?

Sanctions to be reinstated include an embargo on the export of conventional arms to Iran, along with a ban on Tehran carrying out any activity with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. A ban on any transfer to Iran of ballistic missile technology will also be included.

Iran will be hit with a complete ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing. The country has previously been permitted to enrich uranium to a low level of 3.67 per cent for a civilian nuclear programme. The question of enrichment had been at the heart of negotiations with the US in June that were brought to an abrupt end by the Israel-Iran war.

In the economic sphere, the sanctions will include a freeze on selected Iranian assets around the world and a travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities. Countries would be authorised by the UN to inspect shipments carried by Iran Air Cargo − the cargo branch of flag carrier Iran Air − and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.

Why are the Europeans triggering the snapback?

Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action reached between world powers and Iran in 2015, Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment to levels necessary only for civilian nuclear power, in exchange for economic sanctions being lifted. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency was tasked with monitoring Tehran’s nuclear programme.

The snapback mechanism’s purpose is to swiftly reimpose all pre-deal sanctions without being vetoed by UN Security Council members, including permanent members Russia and China, in the event that Iran is non-compliant.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran 'will respond appropriately to this illegal and unjustified action'. AFP

The process began on Thursday, when Britain, France and Germany − known as the E3 − formally notified the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council president that they were triggering the procedure.

That begins a 30-day window during which a new resolution to continue sanctions relief for Iran must be adopted to avoid the reimposition of the restrictions. That is unlikely, as the US, Britain and France would veto such a resolution.

The US itself cannot activate the snapback since US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the nuclear deal in 2018.

The E3 said Iran had not adhered to the 2015 deal. They said Iran must resume negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme, allow in UN nuclear inspectors, and account for the more than 400kg of highly enriched uranium that the IAEA says it possesses.

They allege that Iran has “wilfully and publicly departed” from the nuclear deal’s commitments.

A number of countries suspect Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, a charge that Tehran denies. In May, the IAEA said Iran had amassed 408kg of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity. If it is enriched to 90 per cent, it would be enough to make nine nuclear weapons, according to the UN agency, though a weapon would require other expertise, such as a detonation device.

The amount of enriched uranium far exceed the limits set out in the nuclear deal. In addition, in 2022, Tehran removed most monitoring equipment, including IAEA cameras, from its nuclear sites. A year later, Iran barred some of the watchdog's most experienced inspectors.

The view from Iran

Iran has long maintained that its nuclear programme serves peaceful purposes only. Tehran also argues that it has the right to abandon the nuclear deal’s limits because Washington withdrew from the agreement and reimposed its own sanctions.

Tehran contends there is no legal basis for the Europeans to reimpose UN sanctions, claiming the countries failed to uphold the accord after the US exit.