Germany, France and Britain have triggered the mechanism to re-sanction Iran. The two countries have not reached a deal, and this will be another heavy blow to the regime in Tehran and the population in the country.
Iran and Western countries have failed to reach an agreement on a new nuclear deal after Germany, France and Britain activated the mechanism to re-impose UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic in late August. From Sunday, they will come into force again, as in the period 2006-2010.
What will these sanctions mean for Iran? ARD lists:
What are the consequences of the UN sanctions against Iran?
Iran is already subject to strict sanctions, mainly targeting the energy sector of this oil and gas-rich country. In addition, the country is largely isolated from international payment systems. The sanctions are one of the leading reasons why the country of nearly 90 million inhabitants is in a severe economic crisis. It mainly affects the poor population and the shrinking middle class.
The renewed sanctions include a general arms embargo, as well as a number of punitive measures against individuals and organizations. According to an analysis by the Washington Institute, the economic consequences are likely to be limited, since Tehran is already subject to a number of wide-ranging sanctions by the United States. Many international companies have long avoided Iran due to fears of punitive measures by the United States. For low- and middle-income families, however, the financial pressure is likely to continue to mount.
Why is Iran’s nuclear program so controversial?
The West has been at odds with the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program for decades. Israel, the United States and European countries accuse Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran’s leadership rejects the accusations, citing a religious statement by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that weapons of mass destruction are forbidden.
Western countries have expressed particular concern over the recent significant increase in uranium enrichment. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran had more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent before the start of the Israeli war against the country. More than 90 percent is needed to produce nuclear weapons. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has repeatedly stressed that Iran is the only non-nuclear weapons state that produces the material needed to create nuclear weapons.
Why were the sanctions reimposed?
At the end of August, the Europeans activated the so-called "snapback" mechanism, which was enshrined in the 2015 Vienna nuclear agreement. It was intended to reimpose sanctions on Iran if it failed to comply with its obligations under the agreement. It also stipulated a limit on uranium enrichment to a maximum of 3.67 percent, as well as strict controls. In exchange, the sanctions were to be lifted.
During his first term, US President Donald Trump unilaterally terminated the agreement. At the same time, Trump imposed new and stricter sanctions on Iran. As a result, the Iranian leadership also stopped complying with the terms of the agreement. It has not been implemented in practice for years. Tehran has criticized the imposition of sanctions as illegitimate.
What is the state of the Iranian economy?
The Iranian currency, the rial, had fallen to a record low even before the previous UN sanctions came into effect. Since the Vienna Agreement, when hopes of thawing relations boosted the currency's exchange rate, it has lost about 97 percent of its value against the euro.
Iran is also in a severe economic crisis, with the country's middle class increasingly impoverished and shrinking.
Will the nuclear dispute with Iran escalate?
In June, Israel waged a 12-day war against Iran and, together with the United States, bombed key facilities in its nuclear program, including the underground Fordow complex. There are different data on the extent of the destruction of nuclear facilities.
US President Trump said that Iran's nuclear capabilities have been "destroyed". The Iranian government speaks of severe damage. Tehran has threatened the West with retaliatory measures in the event of reimposition of sanctions by the UN. Conservative forces in Iran have demanded an exit from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, it is not clear whether the leadership will actually take this step. Observers expect a significantly increased risk of escalation of the conflict with the West, as well as the danger of new Israeli attacks.
Iran's Security Council has announced that if sanctions are reimposed, it will terminate the agreement it reached with the IAEA less than three weeks ago to resume inspections. The government had suspended cooperation after the war. When asked by the German news agency dpa, the IAEA said inspections had already been carried out this week. However, diplomatic sources said the talks were not about a full resumption of monitoring measures, as Western countries had demanded.
On Friday evening, nine of the 15 members of the UN Security Council voted against a draft resolution tabled by Iran's allies China and Russia, which would have given Tehran more time to negotiate over its nuclear program in order to avoid sanctions. According to state media, Tehran has recalled its ambassadors to Berlin, Paris and London for consultations.