Iran facing return of sweeping sanctions over banned nuclear activity

Sweeping economic and military sanctions on Iran lifted under a landmark international deal over its nuclear programme 10 years ago are set to be reimposed on Saturday night barring a last-minute breakthrough.

It comes after the UK, France and Germany wrote to the UN Security Council last month, accusing Iran of failing to fulfil its commitments. That triggered a mechanism giving Iran 30 days to find a diplomatic solution to avert renewed sanctions.

Iran has called the move illegal and says it will freeze co-operation with the global nuclear body the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) if sanctions are restored.

Iran stepped up banned nuclear activity after the US quit the deal in 2016.

Donald Trump pulled the US out in his first term as US president, criticising the deal – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama as flawed.

Iran barred IAEA inspectors from accessing its nuclear facilities after Israel and the US bombed several of its nuclear sites, as well as military bases, in June after negotiations held indirectly between the US and Iran to try to reach a new nuclear deal became deadlocked.

Iran is legally obligated under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to allow inspections. It has been in talks this week with the IAEA to find a way forward, but has warned that a return of sanctions will put that in jeopardy.

The sanctions would include:

• an arms embargo
• a ban on uranium enrichment
• a ban on activity connected to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons
• a freeze of assets and a travel ban on Iranian figures and entities
• authorisation of countries to inspect Iran Air and Iran Shipping Lines cargo

Unless a solution is found, UN sanctions would come into force first, followed by EU sanctions next week.

Western powers and the IAEA say they are not convinced that Iran’s nuclear programme has purely peaceful purposes.

Iran strongly insists it is not seeking nuclear weapons, and that its programme is solely a civilian one.