US announces new sanctions on Iran

On September 21, the US government announced a new round of sanctions against entities and individuals related to Iran’s nuclear, missile and conventional weapons programs. On the same day, US President Trump issued an executive order announcing sanctions and export controls on 27 entities and individuals related to Iran’s nuclear, missile and conventional weapons programs. The executive order said that the property of those who trade conventional weapons with Iran or provide technical training and financial support for related weapons will be seized in the United States. According to media reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif said at a think tank event that day that the new round of US sanctions was “nothing new” and that the US had exerted all pressure on Iran, but Iran did not give in. The US State Department unilaterally stated on the 19th of this month that according to the “snapback sanctions” mechanism in UN Security Council Resolution 2231, the UN sanctions imposed on Iran before the 2015 Iran nuclear deal were restored at 8 pm Eastern Time on the 19th. Security Council members, including the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany, participants in the Iran nuclear deal, have repeatedly reiterated that the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018 and no longer has the qualifications to activate the “snapback sanctions” mechanism. In July 2015, Iran reached a nuclear agreement with the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. Under the agreement, Iran pledged to limit its nuclear program and the international community lifted sanctions on Iran. The Security Council subsequently passed Resolution 2231 to approve the Iran nuclear agreement. The resolution’s 11th operational paragraph contains a “snapback sanctions” mechanism, but stipulates that only parties to the Iran nuclear agreement can activate the mechanism.