Periodic alerts providing news and analysis on the negotiations and implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between the P5+1 (China, Germany, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and Iran over the latter's nuclear program. To receive these by email, subscribe to our regular updates list.
The UN arms embargo on Iran expired on October 18, freeing Iran to buy and sell conventional weapons. The Trump administration imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran, and Iran announced the construction of a new facility at Natanz to replace what was damaged during the July sabotage attack.
The United Nations again dismissed U.S. efforts to reimpose sanctions on Iran that were lifted as a result of the nuclear deal, and Secretary-General Guterres told the Security Council he would not take steps to implement those measures. Amid U.S. efforts to block Iranian arms sales, Iran announced two new missiles and Iranian President Rouhani criticized the U.S. sanctions regime against Iran.
The UN Security Council rejected a U.S. resolution to extend the UN arms embargo on Iran. Iran demonstrated its new missile capability and Elliot Abrams as named the U.S. Special Envoy for Iran, replacing Brian Hook.
An explosion at Iran’s Natanz enrichment facility appears to have impacted the country’s nuclear program, but the IAEA said its safeguards activities at that site were unimpeded. The U.S. continues its push to extend the arms embargo on Iran at the UN Security Council, and Iran’s parliament has approved a plan to halt implementation of the additional protocol to the country’s safeguards agreement with the IAEA.
The IAEA Board of Governors passed a resolution calling on Iran to cooperate fully with the Agency, including on the Agency's investigation into inconsistencies related to Iran’s pre-2003 nuclear activities. An IAEA report revealed that Iran’s low-enriched uranium stockpile continues to grow, and the Trump administration terminated additional non-proliferation sanctions waivers.