EU reimposes sanctions on Iran following UN snapback

The European Union confirmed on Monday that it has reinstated comprehensive sanctions on Iran in response to the country’s nuclear program, following the United Nations’ reactivation of its overarching measures.

The UN action over the weekend followed Western powers' invocation of the “snapback” mechanism established under the 2015 nuclear deal, which is designed to automatically restore sanctions if Iran violates key provisions.

The EU’s sanctions not only mirror the UN restrictions, which prohibit dealings with Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile activities, but also extend further. They include financial measures such as freezing the assets of Iran’s central bank.

Iran has denounced the reinstatement of sanctions as “unjustifiable.”

Despite the renewed restrictions, Western officials emphasized that diplomatic channels remain open. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said on Sunday that the reimposition of sanctions “must not be the end of diplomacy.”