A Comprehensive Guide to the Sweeping International Sanctions Targeting Iran

Iran remains one of the most heavily sanctioned nations globally, facing a complex web of overlapping restrictions enforced by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United Nations. Having dealt with various sanctions regimes since 1979, the country's oil exports, banking sector, nuclear and missile programmes, military operations, and senior officials are heavily targeted. Here is a breakdown of the current sanctions Iran faces today.

United Nations

UN sanctions were officially reimposed against Iran in September 2025 when France, Germany, and the United Kingdom activated the “snapback” mechanism under UN Security Council Resolution 2231. This action restored six prior UNSC resolutions targeting Iran’s nuclear and military programmes, which include:

• Arms embargo: A complete UN ban on transferring conventional arms to and from Iran.
• Nuclear and uranium enrichment: A strict prohibition on selling or supplying materials, equipment, goods, and technology capable of supporting these programmes.
• Ballistic missiles: Limitations on activities connected to ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.
• Finance and trade: Asset freezes and strict trade controls tied to Iran’s nuclear and missile initiatives.
• Targeted sanctions: Measures directed at numerous individuals and entities connected to prohibited programmes.

United States

The US recently introduced a fresh set of sanctions against Iran to increase economic pressure amid ongoing conflict, enforced through the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These comprise:

• Economic and trade sanctions: A comprehensive trade embargo prohibiting the majority of trade and investment.
• Secondary sanctions: Penalties for foreign entities engaging in trade or financing with Iran across sectors like digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping, aimed at isolating Iran from the international financial system.
• Sectoral sanctions: Restrictions targeting specific Iranian industries, notably energy and shipping, by limiting the export of goods and services.
• Human rights and terrorism-related sanctions: Measures targeting individuals and entities tied to human rights violations, including the designation of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and other bodies as “Specially Designated Global Terrorists”.
• Frozen assets: The freezing of billions of dollars in Iranian assets held across US banks and financial institutions.

European Union

EU sanctions against Iran are regularly evaluated and updated, encompassing:

• Nuclear-related sanctions: Controls on supplying goods and technology linked to Iran’s nuclear programme.
• Economic and trade restrictions: A trade embargo on Iranian oil and petroleum products, alongside limits on exporting dual-use goods—items with both military and civil applications—to Iran.
• Financial sanctions: Prohibitions on transactions involving banks associated with nuclear proliferation or terrorism.
• Sectoral sanctions: Measures spanning Iranian economic sectors such as shipping, aviation, petrochemicals, and metals like aluminium and steel.
• Arms embargo: A ban prohibiting the sale or transfer of arms and components to Iran.

United Kingdom

The UK’s sanctions framework largely mirrors those set by the UN and EU, featuring:

• Nuclear-related sanctions: Export restrictions on goods and technology tied to nuclear proliferation.
• Economic and trade sanctions: Embargoes on Iranian oil and gas products, alongside export limitations on goods and services directed at Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
• Financial sanctions: Asset freezes on Iranian banks and financial institutions, coupled with prohibitions on delivering financial services to specific Iranian entities connected to nuclear programmes or terrorism.
• Sectoral sanctions: Measures focusing on shipping and maritime industries, plus trade controls on sensitive and dual-use goods.
• Human rights: Travel bans and asset freezes directed at individuals and entities involved in human rights abuses, including censorship and violent repression.
• Arms embargo: A prohibition on selling or transferring arms and military equipment to Iran.

Other countries

Nations including Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland have established their own versions of these sanctions, primarily directing their focus toward Iran’s nuclear programme and human rights record.