Curbing the circumvention of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme: Afrasiabi

Publishers Abstract:
Relations between the EU and Iran have been strained for years. Nonetheless, the EU has always expressed its wish to gradually deepen bilateral relations with the country, mainly for economic reasons. I Iran's continued refusal to comply with its international obligations and cooperate fully with the IAEA triggered the United Nations Security Council in adopting a raft of resolutions, imposing sanctions against Iran, binding on all UN members. The EU fully implements these UNSC sanctions and has also adopted a number of complementary measures.

This article lays out the legal context of the case at hand, before presenting the facts and preliminary questions of the referring court, the Advocate General's Opinion, the judgment of the Court, and an analysis of the whole. The EU sanctions regimes imposed on Iran have been the subject of a series of judicial proceedings before the Court of Justice. Mostly, these cases have centred on the Council's decisions to black-list persons or entities and the right of defence of the latter.