Sanctions against Iran

This system of sanctions goes back to UN Security Council resolutions and comprises measures in connection with suspicions that Iran is building up a capacity to develop nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles for nuclear weapons systems. Since 2007, the UN's decisions have been implemented and further developed within the EU.

Sanctions concerning nuclear technology

As Implementation Day took place on 16 January 2016, the amendments to the European Union nuclear sanctions as set out in Council Decision (CFSP) 2015/1863 of 18 October 2015 are being implemented. For further information concerning the amendments that have been implemented, readers are referred to the texts concerning each type of sanction on this website and to the European Commission's Information Note in PDF format via the link below.

Information Note on EU sanctions to be lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

Description of the sanctions

An introduction of the various types of sanctions concerning nuclear technology that currently apply against Iran is given below. Clicking on the heading for each type of sanction (to the left on this page) produces a simplified description of each one of the sanctions.

The sanctions are largely decided by legal instruments adopted by the Council of the European Union and are now contained in Council Decision 413/2010/CFSP and its subsequent amendments and Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012, also with subsequent amendments. Each section specifies the article in which the sanctions are described in detail. The subsequent amendments mean that the original wording of a given article in either of the fundamental legal instruments may have been superseded or expanded – for this reason it is important to check subsequent legal instruments to be sure of the current wording. Account should be taken of the fact that the sanctions regime has changed considerably after Implementation Day on 16 January 2016. The documents can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

It is worth noting that a number of important definitions that affect the interpretation of the articles dealing with prohibitions, restrictions or monitoring, depending on the type of sanction, can be found in Article 1 of Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012. Among others it contains is a broad definition of what is to be understood by 'Iranian person, entity or body', which is a term to which most of the prohibitions refer.

The prohibitions and regulations that apply under the sanctions are, in most cases, supplemented with a prohibition on intentionally participating in their circumvention. This prohibition is gathered in Article 41 of Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012.

It is indicated under each type of sanction which Swedish authority has been designated the competent authority under the Council Regulation above or is in some other way responsible for the relevant policy area and the implementation of the sanction in Sweden. A list of these competent authorities can be found under the heading 'Competent Swedish authorities'. Questions about interpretation of each regulation and how they are to be applied in Sweden should primarily be addressed to these authorities.

General information about the system of sanctions against Iran can be provided by the Middle East and North Africa Department, the Department for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation and the sanctions coordinators at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Sanctions against Iran concerning nuclear technology

Arms embargo;

freezing of assets and prohibition on the provision of assets;

travel restrictions;

and inspections of the Iranian transport sector in certain cases (aviation and shipping).

Restrictions on exports and imports with associated prohibitions and permit requirements for certain products and services:

permit requirements for products and services related to nuclear materials;

permit requirements for dual-use products;

prohibition on the export etc. of products related to missile technology;

permit requirements for certain metals;

and permit requirements for certain software.

Competent Swedish authorities

The Swedish government agencies that have been designated competent authorities for sanctions against Iran under Council Regulation (EU) No 267/2012 are listed below. They process such matters as applications for permits and exemptions. Authorities that are responsible in other ways for issues concerning certain types of sanctions are also listed.

This system of sanctions was independently decided upon by the EU. It was introduced in 2011 and comprises measures in connection with the worsened human rights situation in Iran.

Description of the sanctions

1. Travel restrictions

A prohibition on entry into or transit through the EU applies to persons responsible for grave human rights violations in Iran. Those subject to the restrictive measures are listed in the annexes to the relevant Council decisions (see under 'Relevant documents').

2. Freezing of assets

All funds and economic resources belonging to persons or entities responsible for serious human rights violations in Iran shall be frozen. No funds or economic resources may be made available for the benefit of such persons or entities. The persons and entities subject to the restrictive measures are listed in the annexes to the relevant Council regulations and, regarding persons, are the same as those subject to travel restrictions (see under 'Relevant documents').

3. Prohibition on the export of equipment which might be used for internal repression

It is prohibited to sell, export, etc. to Iran certain products which might be used for internal repression. The products covered by this prohibition are listed in the annex to the relevant Council Regulation (see under 'Relevant documents'). Corresponding prohibitions apply for technical and financial assistance linked to such equipment. Exemptions may be granted for certain equipment intended solely for the protection of personnel of the EU and its Member States in Iran.

4. Prohibition on exports of certain monitoring equipment

It is prohibited to sell, export, etc. equipment, technology or software which might be used for monitoring or interception of the internet or telecommunications to persons and entities in Iran, or for use in Iran, without prior authorisation from a national competent authority. The products covered by this prohibition are listed in the annex to the relevant Council Regulation (see under 'Relevant documents'). Licences for export etc. should not be granted if it can be reasonably assumed that the equipment will be used by the Iranian regime for monitoring or interception of the internet or telecommunications in Iran. Corresponding prohibitions and permit requirements apply to services in connection with the products in question.

Relevant EU documents

The sanctions are regulated in Council Decision 2011/235/CFSP of 12 April 2011, which has been supplemented by Council Implementing Decision 2011/670/CFSP and Council Decisions 2012/168/CFSP, 2012/810/CFSP, 2013/124/CFSP, 2014/205/CFSP, 2015/555/CFSP and Council Decision 2016/565/CFSP. The EU law aspects of the decisions are regulated in Council Regulation (EU) No 359/2011 as supplemented by Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1002/2011, Council Regulations (EU) No 264/2012 and No 1245/2012, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 206/2013, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 371/2014, Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2015/548 and Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2016/556. The persons and products covered by the sanctions described are listed in the annexes to the abovementioned decisions and regulations. The sanctions have been regularly extended, most recently up to 13 April 2018 (Council Decision 2017/689/CFSP and Council  och rådets genomförandeförordning (EU) 2017/685.

Competent Swedish authorities

The Swedish Migration Agency and Sweden's missions abroad are responsible for applying the travel restrictions.

Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) may grant exemptions from the freezing of assets of natural persons, but not for routine administration (see Finansinspektionen).

The National Board of Trade may grant exemptions from the freezing of assets of legal persons and entities, but not for routine administration (see Finansinspektionen).

The Inspectorate of Strategic Products processes applications for licences to export monitoring equipment.

Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority) receives information about frozen accounts and may grant exemptions from the freezing of assets for routine administration.

Background to the sanctions

The EU has highlighted and expressed its concern at the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, and in particular the decline that has taken place since the presidential elections in June 2009. The number of executions has increased sharply, cruel punishments have been imposed and in many cases, due process has been very inadequate. Representatives of the Iranian opposition, peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders and others are repressed, harassed and, in some cases, imprisoned for exercising or defending their fundamental rights. The situation is also extremely serious for certain minority groups, such as the Bahá’í community.

In light of this, the Council of the European Union decided on 12 April 2011 to introduce restrictive measures (sanctions) against persons responsible for grave human rights violations in Iran and persons or entities associated with them. The main target group is senior officials in the Iranian administration and certain political representatives. The sanctions particularly target persons complicit in or responsible for directing or carrying out such violations in the repression of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders, students or others who speak up in defence of their fundamental rights, including freedom of expression. The sanctions also target persons complicit in or responsible for directing or carrying out grave violations of the right to due process, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, or the indiscriminate, excessive and increasing application of the death penalty, including public executions, stoning, hangings or executions of juvenile offenders in contravention of Iran’s international human rights obligations. These measures were taken with the aim of improving respect for human rights in Iran.

A new EU sanctions regime was thus imposed against Iran alongside the existing sanctions regime initiated by the UN in response to Iran’s nuclear and missile technology programmes.

In addition to the measures targeting individuals, the EU has imposed a ban on exports to Iran of equipment which might be used for internal repression and a prohibition on supplying the Iranian regime with equipment which might be used for monitoring or interception of the internet or telecommunications in Iran. Moreover, additional individuals have been added to the list of persons and entities subject to restrictive measures. In particular, a large number of new sanctions have been adopted in response to Iran’s brutal and violent treatment of the protests that have been going on in the country since September 2022.