By Noureddine Omar | 2025-09-10

Iran's defiance of international nuclear limits and refusal to cooperate with inspectors has pushed Europe to reimpose United Nations (UN) sanctions, experts told Al-Fassel.

The move could strip Tehran of the resources it uses to fund its missile and nuclear programs, forcing the regime to confront the consequences of its military ambitions.

On August 28, Britain, France and Germany triggered the "snapback mechanism," citing Tehran's failure to meet its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal.

All sanctions will automatically return within 30 days unless diplomacy succeeds.

International affairs specialist Zeina Mahmoud said Tehran ignored repeated mediation efforts, leaving Europe no choice but to revive punitive measures.

Sanctions cover an arms embargo, missile restrictions and bans on nuclear-related technology.

Mahmoud added that the United States and the European trio now demand Iran grant International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors full access to suspected nuclear sites and disclose the fate of uranium stockpiles.

According to the IAEA, Iran has amassed more than 400 kilograms of uranium enriched at 60%.

This level far exceeds civilian energy needs and, if refined to 90%, could yield at least 10 atomic bomb cores.

She warned that the regime could respond with regional escalation, using destabilization as leverage to avoid sanctions.

"This would plunge the region into a new wave of instability," she said.

"The recent conflict revealed Iran's missile capabilities, which can carry nuclear warheads and threaten security and stability not only in the Middle East but also globally," she said.

These include the Shahab-3 and advanced variants such as the Ghadr and Emad, according to missile experts.

Economic fallout

The consequences of renewed sanctions would be most immediately felt inside Iran.

Ain Shams University economics professor Shaher Abdullah said the measures will likely include asset freezes, travel bans, trade restrictions and tighter controls on entities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

He explained that these restrictions would fuel a collapsing currency, soaring inflation and rising unemployment.

"They will be accompanied by a further deterioration of the general economic situation in Iran," he said, including "a loss of purchasing power for Iranian citizens."

Abdullah noted that economic strain directly undermines Tehran's ability to sustain its nuclear and missile programs.

Reduced revenues limit resources for weapons development while also intensifying public discontent.

"All of these expectations may push the Iranian regime to reconsider and comply with demands related to its nuclear and missile activities," he added.

Meanwhile, experts and officials say Tehran continues to enrich uranium at near weapons-grade levels while rejecting proposals to return to talks.

They warned that the clock is ticking. Iran must negotiate, allow inspections and curb its military ambitions or face the full weight of international sanctions.