The European Union has reinstated sanctions against Iran after failing to reach an agreement on the country’s nuclear programme.
EU member states have agreed to reintroduce “a number of restrictive measures in relation to Iran's nuclear proliferation activities,” according to a statement from the European Council.
The move coincides with the reactivation of United Nations (UN) sanctions on Iran this weekend. This follows the activation in August by Germany, France, and the United Kingdom of a mechanism allowing the sanctions to be reinstated once no new agreement was reached by the deadline.
The sanctions target companies, entities, and individuals directly or indirectly involved in Iran’s nuclear programme or ballistic missile development. This includes those providing necessary materials, expertise, or funding.
In addition to the UN sanctions, the EU measures go further, imposing travel bans, freezing central bank assets, and enacting commercial and economic restrictions targeting sectors such as transport.
Under the sanctions, Iranian cargo planes are barred from EU airports, and EU companies are prohibited from servicing aircraft or ships carrying restricted goods. There is also a ban on importing and purchasing crude oil, natural gas, and oil products, as well as trading certain software, energy technology, and precious metals.
Iran labelled the renewed sanctions as unjust in a statement on Sunday.
The sanctions were previously suspended following the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran, the US, China, Russia, Germany, France, the UK, and the EU.
However, in 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed its own sanctions, although European countries continued to uphold the agreement.
