U.S. Confirms Completion of Sanctions ‘Snapback,’ Says Tehran Must Engage in Talks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The United States on Saturday evening announced the formal completion of the "snapback" process, confirming the full reimposition of a raft of punitive United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program in a move that dramatically raises the stakes in the long-simmering international crisis. In a press statement that marked the culmination of a tense diplomatic showdown at the United Nations, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that as of 8:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, sanctions and restrictions under six previous UN Security Council resolutions were once again in force, a development he hailed as an "act of decisive global leadership" initiated by America's key European allies, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

"The Security Council’s decision... to restore these restrictions sends a clear message: the world will not acquiesce to threats and half measures – and Tehran will be held to account," Secretary Rubio stated, signaling the start of a new and more confrontational phase of international pressure on the Islamic Republic.

The successful triggering of the snapback mechanism, a unique and veto-proof provision embedded in the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, represents a severe diplomatic blow to Tehran. The process, which began on August 28, concluded a 30-day countdown, automatically reactivating a comprehensive and stringent sanctions regime that targets nearly every aspect of Iran's sensitive strategic programs.

As detailed in a comprehensive report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the restored provisions are extensive and designed to affect a wide swath of the Iranian economy. They include a renewed embargo on the sale or transfer of conventional arms to Iran, a strict prohibition on the import and export of technologies related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and a global freeze on the assets of designated Iranian individuals and entities.

Furthermore, as AFP noted, UN member states will now be required to restrict Iran's access to international banking and financial facilities that could aid its prohibited activities.

In his detailed statement, Secretary Rubio enumerated the specific threats the restored resolutions are designed to address, citing Iran's "nuclear, ballistic missile, conventional arms, and destabilizing activities."

He emphasized that the reimposed measures explicitly require Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment, heavy water, and reprocessing-related activities. They also authorize the seizure of weapons and other prohibited cargo being transferred by Iran to both state and non-state actors throughout the region, a measure aimed at curbing Tehran's proxy warfare capabilities.

This dramatic escalation comes after a week of frantic but ultimately fruitless last-ditch diplomatic efforts at the UN General Assembly in New York. According to The Associated Press (AP), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attempted to halt the sanctions, but their mission was effectively doomed from the start.

Their hands were tied by Iran's own Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who, on the eve of their trip, delivered a speech describing diplomacy with the United States as a "sheer dead end." A final attempt by China and Russia to pass a resolution delaying the snapback at the Security Council also failed on Friday, sealing the sanctions' fate.

The European powers, known as the E3, triggered the snapback mechanism in response to what Secretary Rubio's statement termed Iran's "continuing significant non-performance" of its nuclear commitments.

The Associated Press reported that the E3 cited Iran's failure to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to regain access to its nuclear sites following the 12-day war with Israel in June, and its failure to account for its large and growing stockpile of highly-enriched uranium.

Tehran has long argued that the 2015 deal was voided by President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the accord during his first term in 2018, a position that has found little traction among the deal's other signatories.

The reimposition of these UN sanctions lands on an Iran already reeling from a profound economic and social crisis, a situation detailed in a stark report by The Associated Press from Dubai. The country is now "hungrier, poorer and more anxious." The Iranian rial has plummeted to a record low, driving up the cost of essential food items and making daily life an unbearable struggle for millions.

"For as long as I can remember, we’ve been struggling with economic hardship, and every year it’s worse than the last," a father named Sina told the AP. "For my generation, it’s always either too late or too early — our dreams are slipping away."

The report painted a grim picture of daily life, with the price of pinto beans tripling in a year, butter nearly doubling, and staple foods like rice rising by over 80%. "Every day I see new higher prices for cheese, milk and butter," a mother of two named Sima Taghavi told the AP in Tehran. "I cannot omit them... because my kids are too young to be deprived.”

This economic hardship is compounded by deep-seated fears of a renewed conflict with Israel and the United States, particularly as commercial satellite imagery suggests that missile sites struck during the June war are now being rebuilt. The domestic situation has grown increasingly tense, with human rights groups reporting a terrifying surge in executions in 2025, reaching a pace unseen in decades.

The Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, as cited by the AP, has documented over 1,000 executions this year, a number that reflects the regime's harsh response to the multiple nationwide protests that have swept the country in recent years.

Despite the successful reimposition of sanctions, the crucial question of enforcement remains. As AFP noted, while UN Security Council resolutions are legally binding, they are often violated. The report highlighted that it is an open question whether countries like China and Russia, which deemed the snapback illegal, will comply.

China has remained a major buyer of Iranian crude oil despite existing U.S. sanctions, and Russia has come to rely on Iranian drones in its war on Ukraine. Clement Therme, a researcher at the International Institute for Iranian Studies, explained to AFP that while a full blockade is unlikely, the sanctions will impose significant costs.

"There is a cost to circumventing sanctions, a political cost, but also a financial and economic cost because financial transactions become more expensive," he said.

This new sanctions regime is a response to a nuclear program that has advanced significantly since the collapse of the 2015 deal. The AP reported that Iran now enriches uranium up to 60% purity—a short technical step from the 90% needed for a weapon—and possesses a stockpile large enough to build several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so.

The June war, which saw both the U.S. and Israel bomb key nuclear sites like Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, severely damaged Iran's overt nuclear infrastructure but also pushed Tehran to further restrict IAEA monitoring, creating a dangerous lack of visibility.

In his statement closing the loop on the snapback, Secretary Rubio left the door ajar for a diplomatic off-ramp, but placed the onus squarely on Tehran to take the next step. "President Trump has been clear that diplomacy is still an option—a deal remains the best outcome for the Iranian people and the world," he said. "For that to happen, Iran must accept direct talks, held in good faith, without stalling or obfuscation."

He concluded with a clear call to action for the international community, stating that absent such a deal, "it is incumbent on partners to implement snapback sanctions immediately in order to pressure Iran’s leaders to do what is right for their nation, and best for the safety of the world."

As the sun set on Saturday, Iran found itself facing a new and formidable wall of international isolation, with its ailing economy and anxious populace bracing for the heavy impact of a world united in its resolve to hold Tehran to account.