International sanctions against Iran are a set of punitive economic and diplomatic measures imposed by the United Nations, and also unilaterally by the United States, the European Union, and numerous other countries and international bodies. These sanctions have been applied across successive decades in response to a range of Iranian policies, including its nuclear programme, alleged support for terrorism, human rights violations, and its military conduct in the Persian Gulf. Iran was the most heavily sanctioned country in the world until Russia surpassed it following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The first American sanctions were imposed in November 1979 after radical students seized the United States Embassy in Tehran. Although lifted in 1981, they were reimposed in 1987 and progressively expanded through successive US executive orders and legislation. The United Nations Security Council imposed multilateral sanctions beginning in December 2006 under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737, after Iran refused to halt its uranium enrichment programme. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of 2015 led to the lifting of most UN and multilateral sanctions in exchange for verified limits on Iran's nuclear programme, but the United States withdrew from the agreement in May 2018, reimposing and expanding American sanctions. In August 2025, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom triggered the JCPOA's "snapback" mechanism, resulting in the reimposition of UN sanctions on 28 September 2025.
The period from late 2025 to 2026 saw the most dramatic developments in decades. The 2025-2026 Iranian protests, triggered in part by sanctions-induced economic collapse, were violently suppressed, provoking new Western sanctions. On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeting nuclear and military infrastructure, in what became known as the 2026 Iran war. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching missile strikes across the region. A ceasefire took effect on 8 April 2026. Subsequent negotiations in Switzerland, mediated by Oman and Pakistan, led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 17 June 2026 that initiated a 60-day framework for ceasefire, sanctions relief discussions, and nuclear talks. On 22 June 2026, the US Treasury issued a 60-day waiver on sanctions on Iranian oil exports as part of the MoU's initial conditions.
The sanctions had significant effects on Iran's economy, contributing to currency depreciation, high inflation, declining oil revenues, and restrictions on access to the international financial system. Banking and financial restrictions also complicated the import of humanitarian goods, including medicines, despite formal exemptions for such trade. Analysts, humanitarian organisations, and UN experts have debated the humanitarian consequences of the sanctions, while the United States and its allies have maintained that sanctions constituted the principal non-military means of pressuring Iran over its nuclear programme and regional activities.
United States sanctions
1979 sanctions and the hostage crisis
The first United States sanctions against Iran were imposed in November 1979, following the seizure of the American Embassy in Tehran by radical students and the taking of 52 American diplomats and citizens as hostages. President Jimmy Carter issued Executive Order 12170, which froze approximately $8.1 billion in Iranian assets held in the United States, including bank deposits, gold, and other property, and imposed a trade embargo. These sanctions were lifted in January 1981 as part of the Algiers Accords, which provided for a negotiated settlement and the release of the hostages.Charles Nelson Brower, Jason D. Brueschke, The Iran-United States Claims Tribunal (1998) p. 7 online .
Reimposition and expansion, 1984-1996
During the Iran-Iraq War, which began in September 1980, the United States in 1984 prohibited weapon sales and all US assistance to Iran. In September 1987, following the discovery of a possible minefield in the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger called for a UN arms embargo against Iran, though this was not realised at the time. US sanctions were reimposed in 1987 in response to Iranian military actions in the Persian Gulf and Iranian support for terrorism.
In 1995, in response to the Iranian nuclear programme and Iranian support for terrorist organisations, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, President Bill Clinton issued several executive orders. Executive Order 12957 of 15 March 1995 banned US investment in Iran's energy sector, while Executive Order 12959 of 6 May 1995 banned all US trade with and investment in Iran.
The Iran and Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) was signed on 5 August 1996, imposing sanctions on foreign firms investing in Iran's energy sector. The act was renamed the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA) in 2006 when provisions regarding Libya were terminated.
2000s expansion
Initial US sanctions targeting oil, gas, and petrochemicals, exports of refined petroleum products, and business dealings with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were progressively expanded to encompass banking and insurance transactions (including with the Central Bank of Iran), shipping, web-hosting services for commercial endeavours, and domain name registration services.
On 31 July 2013, members of the United States House of Representatives voted 400 to 20 in favour of toughened sanctions against Iran.
Withdrawal from the JCPOA and reimposition, 2018
On 8 May 2018, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the JCPOA. The administration reinstated all previously lifted sanctions in November 2018, stating the purpose was to compel Iran to renegotiate on broader terms covering its missile programme and support for regional militant groups.
In September 2019, the US imposed further sanctions in response to a suspected Iranian attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, targeting the assets of the Supreme Leader's inner circle. On 8 October 2020, the US imposed further sanctions on 18 Iranian banks.
Second Trump administration, 2025-2026
On 22 April 2025, the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab and his network of companies for facilitating the sale of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in violation of US sanctions, using a complex network of front companies and intermediaries.
In February 2026, following the 2025-2026 Iranian protests and 2026 Iran massacres, the US imposed new sanctions on 30 individuals, companies, and vessels connected with Iranian oil exports and missile networks, escalating economic pressure ahead of renewed diplomatic talks. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that US sanctions policy had been a direct factor in Iran's currency instability and the resulting social unrest.
Following the 2026 Iran war and the ceasefire of 8 April 2026, the United States maintained a naval blockade on Iran as part of "Operation Economic Fury", redirecting commercial vessels and seeking to further choke off Iranian oil exports while negotiations continued. On 22 June 2026, the US Treasury issued a 60-day waiver on all existing US sanctions on the production, delivery, and sale of Iranian crude oil, petrochemical products, and petroleum products, valid through 21 August 2026, as part of the MoU signed on 17 June 2026. The waiver also permitted the United States to import Iranian crude oil and petroleum products for domestic use.
United Nations sanctions
The United Nations Security Council adopted a series of resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors found that Iran had failed to comply with its safeguards obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The sanctions were imposed following Iran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment and related activities, as required by Security Council resolutions beginning with Resolution 1696 (2006).
Security Council resolutions
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1696 (31 July 2006) demanded that Iran suspend all enrichment-related and reprocessing activities and threatened sanctions in the event of non-compliance. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1737 (23 December 2006) made it mandatory for Iran to suspend enrichment and reprocessing activities, imposed sanctions banning the supply of nuclear-related materials and technology, and froze the assets of key individuals and companies related to the programme. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1747 (24 March 2007) imposed an arms embargo and expanded asset freezes. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1803 (3 March 2008) extended asset freezes and called upon states to monitor Iranian banks, inspect Iranian ships and aircraft, and monitor the movement of individuals involved with the programme. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929 (9 June 2010) banned Iran from participating in activities related to ballistic missiles, tightened the arms embargo, and froze the funds and assets of the IRGC and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines. United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (20 July 2015) established a schedule for suspending and eventually lifting UN sanctions, with provisions to reimpose them in the event of Iranian non-compliance, in accordance with the JCPOA.
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (2015)
On 2 April 2015, the P5+1 and Iran reached a provisional framework agreement in Lausanne, Switzerland. The final agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was adopted on 18 October 2015. Under the JCPOA, Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment to a maximum purity of 3.67 per cent, cap its enriched uranium stockpile at 300 kg for 15 years, and accept enhanced IAEA monitoring, in exchange for the lifting of most UN and multilateral sanctions. UN sanctions were lifted on 16 January 2016.
Sanctions relief affected Iran's economy in four principal ways: the release of approximately $29 billion in frozen assets; the removal of sanctions on Iranian oil exports; permission for foreign firms to invest in Iran's oil and gas and other sectors; and Iran's restored access to the global banking system, including SWIFT.
US snapback attempt, 2020
On 14 August 2020, the UN Security Council rejected a US-proposed resolution to extend the global arms embargo on Iran, with only the Dominican Republic supporting the United States. Eleven members abstained, while Russia and China voted against. The UN arms embargo expired on 18 October 2020 as provided by the JCPOA.
Restoration of sanctions (E3 snapback mechanism, 2025)
In July 2025, the E3 (France, Germany, and the United Kingdom) warned that the snapback mechanism would be triggered if no satisfactory progress was made in nuclear negotiations by the end of August 2025. On 28 August 2025, the E3 formally initiated the snapback process, citing Iran's accumulation of a highly enriched uranium stockpile that, in their assessment, "lacks any credible civilian justification and is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons program". Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the activation "unjustified, illegal, and lacking any legal basis".