On Monday 29 September, the EU Council decided to re-impose a number of restrictive measures concerning Iran’s nuclear proliferation activities, UN and autonomous measures that had been suspended with the Joint Plan of Action’s (JCPoA) entry into force in 2015 (see EUROPE 11371/16). The UN, for its part, reintroduced the measures on 28 September. These must be applied by all its member states.
The EU Council’s decision was taken after the UN reintroduced sanctions, following the UN Security Council’s decision not to extend the lifting of sanctions against Iran (see EUROPE 13713/4), after the E3 (Germany, France and the United Kingdom) invoked the “snapback” mechanism provided for in the JCPoA (see EUROPE 13697/3).
The EU is reintroducing sanctions on certain individuals (travel bans and asset freezes) and entities (asset freezes). This would involve 78 entities and 43 individuals sanctioned by the UN and 101 entities and 11 individuals subject to restrictive measures by the EU.
The EU has also reinstated economic and financial sanctions, covering the trade, finance and transport sectors.
Measures include a ban on arms exports to Iran and on the transfer of any items, materials, goods or technology that could contribute to Iran’s enrichment and reprocessing activities and its ballistic missile programmes. It is likewise forbidden to import, purchase and transport crude oil, natural gas, petrochemical and oil products and related services, or to sell or supply essential equipment used in the energy sector. The sale or supply of gold, other precious metals and diamonds, as well as certain naval equipment and software, is prohibited.
Finally, the EU is re-imposing a freeze on the assets of the Central Bank of Iran and the main Iranian commercial banks, as well as measures to prevent access to EU airports for Iranian cargo flights and to ban the maintenance and servicing of Iranian aircraft or cargo ships carrying prohibited materials or goods.
“The snap back of sanctions and nuclear restrictions must not be the end of diplomacy with Iran on the nuclear issue, which remains a key challenge to regional and international security”, stressed the EU High Representative in a press release dated 28 September, adding that a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear problem could only be found through negotiation and diplomacy.
Warning that she would maintain dialogue with all parties concerned, including Iran, in order to support political and diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated solution, Ms Kallas urged Iran to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency without delay, in accordance with its legal obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its binding Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement.
See the legal acts relating to the reintroduction of measures: https://aeur.eu/f/inp (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)