UN Sanctions on Iran to Take Effect After Nuclear Talks Collapse

The United Nations is set to reimpose sweeping sanctions on Iran starting Sunday, following the collapse of nuclear talks with Western powers.

Despite efforts by Russia and China to delay the sanctions, the UN Security Council voted against it, paving the way for the reinstatement of sanctions that were suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal.

The sanctions will include a global ban on working with companies, individuals, and organizations accused of developing Iran’s nuclear program or ballistic missiles, and are expected to exacerbate the country’s economic woes.

Iran’s economy is already struggling with high inflation, currency issues, and infrastructure problems.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed skepticism about the need for a deal, believing that Israel and the US are seeking to topple the Islamic Republic.

“If the goal had been to resolve concerns on the nuclear program, we could easily do that,” Pezeshkian said, emphasizing that Iran will never pursue nuclear weapons.

The European powers had proposed a delay in reinstating sanctions in exchange for Iran’s cooperation on its nuclear program.

However, Pezeshkian rejected the proposal, questioning why Iran should give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium without a guarantee of relief.

The US and European powers have accused Iran of failing to come clean on its nuclear program, including countermeasures taken in response to Israeli and US bombing.

The sanctions are part of a “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal, which was unilaterally withdrawn by the US under former President Donald Trump.

Notably, Russia, a key partner of Iran, considers the reimposition of sanctions “null and void,” raising questions about the effectiveness of the sanctions.

The International Crisis Group has warned that the sanctions will compound Iran’s economic struggles and may lead to further regional instability.

In response to the sanctions, Iran has recalled its ambassadors to Germany, France, and the United Kingdom for consultation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said that Tehran would scrap an agreement to let the UN watchdog inspect its nuclear sites if Western powers reinstated UN sanctions.

The sanctions are scheduled to take effect at 0000 GMT on Sunday, and will impose significant economic pressure on Iran.

However, it remains to be seen how effective the sanctions will be, given the reservations expressed by Russia and China about enforcing them.