Sanctions on Iran

Extracted Attributes

• Current Status

  UN sanctions reimposed via snapback mechanism as of September 2025

• Economic Impact

  Reduction in oil export share from 84.9% in 2006 to 78.9% by 2011; significant currency devaluation and inflation

• Primary Targets

  Oil, gas, petrochemicals, financial sector, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), shipping, and aviation

• Primary Imposers

  United States, United Nations Security Council, European Union, Canada

• Initial Start Date

  1979-11-04

Timeline

• United States imposes first sanctions following the seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran by radical students. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1979-11-04

• U.S. sanctions are lifted following the release of American hostages. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1981-01-20

• U.S. reimposes sanctions in response to Iranian actions in the Persian Gulf and support for terrorism. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1987-10-29

• U.S. expands sanctions to include foreign firms dealing with the Iranian government. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1995-03-15

• UN Security Council Resolution 1737 imposes sanctions after Iran refuses to halt its uranium enrichment program. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2006-12-23

• The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is formally adopted to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2015-10-18

• UN sanctions are lifted following the implementation of the JCPOA. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2016-01-16

• U.S. President Donald Trump announces withdrawal from the JCPOA, leading to the reinstatement of primary and secondary sanctions. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2018-05-08

• Iran is placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2020-02-21

• The UN arms embargo on Iran expires as per the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2020-10-18

• Iran is re-added to the FATF blacklist due to failure to implement anti-terrorist financing laws. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2024-10-01

• German authority BaFin warns companies against trading with Iran; U.S. sanctions Oil Minister and shadow fleet. (Source: Iran Sanctions - U.S. Department of State)

  2025-03-13

• E3 members (France, Germany, UK) initiate the snapback mechanism citing Iran's non-compliance with JCPOA commitments. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-08-28

• UN sanctions are officially and comprehensively reimposed on Iran. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-09-28

International sanctions against Iran

There have been a number of international sanctions against Iran imposed by a number of countries, especially the United States, and international entities. Iran was the most sanctioned country in the world until it was surpassed by Russia after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The first sanctions were imposed by the United States in November 1979, after a group of radical students seized the American Embassy in Tehran and took hostages. These sanctions were lifted in January 1981 after the hostages were released, but they were reimposed by the United States in 1987 in response to Iran's actions from 1981 to 1987 against the U.S. and vessels of other countries in the Persian Gulf and Iranian support for terrorism. The sanctions were expanded in 1995 to include firms dealing with the Iranian government. The third sanctions were imposed in December 2006 pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 after Iran refused to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696, which demanded that Iran halt its uranium enrichment program. Initially, U.S. sanctions targeted investments in oil, gas, and petrochemicals, exports of refined petroleum products, and business dealings with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It encompassed banking and insurance transactions (including with the Central Bank of Iran), shipping, web-hosting services for commercial endeavors, and domain name registration services. Subsequent UN Resolutions have expanded sanctions against Iran. Over the years, sanctions have taken a serious toll on Iran's economy and people. Since 1979, the United States led international efforts to use sanctions to influence Iran's policies, including Iran's uranium enrichment program, which Western governments feared was intended for developing the capability to produce nuclear weapons. Iran countered that its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, including generating electricity and medical purposes. When nuclear talks between Iran and Western governments were stalled and seen as a failure, U.S. senators cited them as a reason to enforce stronger economic sanctions on Iran. On 2 April 2015, the P5+1 and Iran, meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, reached a provisional agreement on a framework that, once finalized and implemented, would lift most of the sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran's nuclear programs extending for at least ten years. The final agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was adopted on 18 October 2015. As a result, UN sanctions were lifted on 16 January 2016. On 8 May 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. Sanctions by the United States were reinstated in November 2018, and expanded in 2019 and 2020 to cover Iran's financial sector. Temporary waivers were granted to some countries to continue importing reduced amounts of oil from Iran until 2019. On 21 February 2020, Iran was placed on the FATF blacklist. The UN arms embargo on Iran expired on 18 October 2020, as agreed in Iran's 2015 nuclear deal, allowing Iran to import foreign military equipment. Since October 2024, Iran has once again been placed on the official blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), primarily due to its failure to implement laws against terrorist financing, particularly in connection with its support for the Axis of Resistance. Subsequently, in March 2025, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) published a report warning German companies against trading with Iran. On 28 August 2025, E3 members, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, initiated the process of the snapback mechanism, stating that despite upholding their own commitments, since 2019 Iran had "increasingly and deliberately ceased performing its JCPOA commitments", including "the accumulation of a highly enriched uranium stockpile which lacks any credible civilian justification and is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons program". On 28 September 2025, UN sanctions were officially reimposed on Iran.

Web Search Results

• U.S. Sanctions on Iran - Congress.gov

  U.S. sanctions on Iran are arguably the most extensive and comprehensive set of sanctions that the United States maintains on any country. Thousands of persons (Iranian and non-Iranian) have been designated for sanctions related to Iran. Reflecting the complex legal framework of U.S. sanctions on Iran, many persons have been designated under multiple authorities; designation under multiple authorities may not confer additional restrictions but may affect how sanctions may be lifted. Current Sanctions Landscape U.S. sanctions on Iran block Iranian government assets in the United States, ban nearly all U.S. trade with Iran, and prohibit foreign assistance and arms sales. U.S. law authorizes sanctions targeting [...] Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the United States has used sanctions of various types as key tools of U.S. policy toward the government of Iran. The U.S. government uses sanctions to deter, constrain, and encourage change in the adversarial behavior of the Iranian regime, including its support for international terrorism, nuclear and missile development programs and proliferation activities, destabilizing regional interventions, and human rights abuses. Congress has played a leading role in shaping U.S. policy, enacting legislation to authorize and oversee successive Administrations' implementation of Iran-related sanctions. U.S. sanctions have adversely affected Iran's economy but Iranian government behavior remains a threat to U.S. interests and those of partners including Israel. [...] U.S. sanctions target activities and persons (i.e., entities and individuals) inside or outside Iran to deter, disincentivize support for, and constrain Iran's ability to perpetuate adversarial behaviors. Primary sanctions impose restrictions on those behaviors and persons directly involved with them. Secondary sanctions seek to deter third parties from engaging with primary targets. Primary and secondary sanctions may include blocking U.S.-based assets, prohibiting transactions with U.S. persons, limiting use of U.S. financial instruments, denying entry into the United States, and prosecuting sanctions violations and evasions.

• International sanctions against Iran

  The UN Security Council passed a number of resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran, following the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors regarding Iran's non-compliance with its safeguards agreement and the Board's finding that Iran's nuclear activities raised questions within the competency of the Security Council. Sanctions were first imposed when Iran rejected the Security Council's demand that Iran suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. Sanctions will be lifted when Iran meets those demands and fulfills the requirements of the IAEA Board of Governors. Most UN sanctions were lifted on 16 January 2016, following the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. [...] The United States has imposed an arms ban and an almost total economic embargo on Iran, which includes sanctions on companies doing business with Iran, a ban on all Iranian-origin imports, sanctions on Iranian financial institutions, and an almost total ban on selling aircraft or repair parts to Iranian aviation companies. A license from the Treasury Department is required to do business with Iran. In June 2011, the United States imposed sanctions against Iran Air and Tidewater Middle East Co. (which runs seven Iranian ports), stating that Iran Air had provided material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is already subject to UN sanctions, that Tidewater Middle East is owned by the IRGC, and that both have been involved in activities including illegal weapons [...] The sanctions bring difficulties to Iran's $483 billion, oil-dominated economy. Data published by the Iranian Central Bank show a declining trend in the share of Iranian exports from oil-products (2006–2007: 84.9%, 2007–2008: 86.5%, 2008–2009: 85.5%, 2009–2010: 79.8%, 2010–2011 (first three quarters): 78.9%). The sanctions have had a substantial adverse effect on the Iranian nuclear program by making it harder to acquire specialized materials and equipment needed for the program. The social and economic effects of sanctions have also been severe, with even those who doubt their efficacy, such as John Bolton, describing the EU sanctions, in particular, as "tough, even brutal." Iranian foreign minister Ali Akhbar Salehi conceded that the sanctions are having an impact. China has become

• Canadian Sanctions Related to Iran

  In July 2010, Canada imposed additional sanctions on Iran in close consultation with like-minded partners, including the United States and the European Union, under the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) upon a finding by the Governor in Council that Iran’s failure to meet its international obligations amounted to a grave breach of international peace and security that had resulted or was likely to result in a serious international crisis. The SEMA (Iran) sanctions were increasingly tightened through amendments made in October 2011, November 2011, January 2012, December 2012 and May 2013, resulting in a broad prohibition on exports and imports to and from Iran, subject to certain exceptions, and on financial transactions. [...] Between 2006 and 2010, the United Nations Security Council imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran in response to its nuclear program. Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council adopted resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008), and 1929 (2010) imposing sanctions against Iran in response to the proliferation risks presented by Iran's nuclear program in light of Iran's failure to meet the requirements of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and to comply with the provisions of earlier Security Council resolutions. The Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Iran, as amended, implement the decisions of the Security Council in Canadian domestic law. Implementation of the travel [...] ## Prohibitions Sanctions related to Iran were enacted under the United Nations Act and the Special Economic Measures Act in response to Iran's nuclear and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs, as well as gross and systematic human rights violations that have been committed in Iran. On February 22, 2007, the Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Iran came into force. On July 22, 2010, the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations came into force.

• Timeline of U.S. Sanctions

  Feb. 3, 2017 The U.S. Treasury announced new sanctions on 13 individuals and 12 entities for supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “Iran’s continued support for terrorism and development of its ballistic missile program poses a threat to the region, to our partners worldwide, and to the United States,” said John E. Smith, acting director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control. The new sanctions come less than a week after Iran tested a medium-range ballistic missile. Washington condemned the launch and officially put Iran “on notice” on February 1. National Security Advisor Flynn added on February 3 that the “international community has been too tolerant of Iran’s bad behavior.” March 17, 2017 [...] July 18, 2017 The State Department announced new sanctions on “18 entities and individuals supporting Iran’s ballistic missile program and for supporting Iran’s military procurement or Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as an Iran-based transnational criminal organization and associated persons.” Additionally, the Treasury Department “designated seven entities and five individuals for engaging in activities in support of Iran’s military procurement or the IRGC, as well as an Iran-based transnational criminal organization and three associated persons.” Aug. 2, 2017 [...] March 21, 2017 The United States imposed sanctions on 11 entities and individuals for “transfers of sensitive items to Iran’s ballistic missile program.” Washington considers Tehran’s missile program a threat to regional security. Since Iran tested a medium-range ballistic missile in January 2017, the U.S. Treasury has also sanctioned individuals and entities for supporting the program. The latest measures were part of a wider move under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act. May 17, 2017

• Iran Sanctions - United States Department of State

  August 7, 2025Sanctioning Facilitators of Iran Sanctions Circumvention and Political Oppression July 30, 2025Sanctioning Facilitators of Iran’s Petroleum and Petrochemical Trade July 3, 2025Sanctions on Oil Smugglers Exporting Iranian Oil July 3, 2025Treasury Targets Diverse Networks Facilitating Iranian Oil Trade June 6, 2025Sanctioning Iran’s “Shadow Banking” Network of Money Launderers and Illicit Oil Traders June 6, 2025Treasury Sanctions Iranian Network Laundering Billions for Regime Through Shadow Banking Scheme May 8, 2025Third China-Based “Teapot” Refinery Designated for Violating Iran Sanctions April 30, 2025Maximum Pressure Sanctions on Illicit Traders of Iranian Oil and Petrochemical Products [...] February 4, 2025Imposing Maximum Pressure on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Denying Iran all Paths to a Nuclear Weapon, and Countering Iran’s Malign Influence June 24, 2019Executive Order Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Iran August 6, 2018Executive Order 13846; Reimposing Certain Sanctions With Respect to Iran January 16, 2016Executive Order 13716; Revocation of Executive Orders 13574, 13590, 13622, and 13645 With Respect to Iran, Amendment of Executive Order 13628 With Respect to Iran June 3, 2013Executive Order 13645; Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions Set Forth in the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 and Additional Sanctions With Respect to Iran [...] March 13, 2025Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Minister and Shadow Fleet to Exert Maximum Pressure March 13, 2025Sanctioning Service Providers That Facilitate Iran’s Crude Oil Trade February 26, 2025New Sanctions Increase Pressure on Iran’s UAV and Ballistic Missile Programs February 24, 2025Sanctions on Iran’s Oil Trade to Reimpose Maximum Pressure February 24, 2025Sanctioning Entities That Have Traded in Iran’s Petroleum February 6, 2025Sanctioning Networks Channeling Revenue to Iran’s Military