A 30-day window to stop the reimposition of United Nations sanctions on Iran closes Sunday, raising fears of further economic pressure on Tehran amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.

The sanctions “snapback” follows a declaration on August 28 by France, Germany and the United Kingdom that Iran was no longer complying with the 2015 nuclear deal. Attempts by China and Russia to block the move failed.

Iran’s nuclear program dates back to 1967 but has been marked by decades of secrecy, disputes and intermittent negotiations. The 2015 agreement with world powers was hailed as a breakthrough, limiting Tehran’s enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. But the deal collapsed after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018, triggering escalating confrontations across the region.

Since then, Iran has ramped up enrichment levels, survived repeated sabotage attacks on its Natanz facilities, and admitted it has the technical ability to make a bomb. Efforts to revive the accord under both the Biden and Trump administrations faltered despite multiple rounds of talks in Oman and Europe.

Tensions spiked further in 2025 after Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, prompting U.S. intervention and a short but intense war in June. Although a ceasefire followed, suspicions over Iran’s nuclear activities persisted.

Recent diplomacy, including tentative agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency, failed to satisfy Western nations. With the “snapback” sanctions due to take effect at midnight GMT Sunday, Iran faces renewed isolation.

The move comes as regional instability deepens amid the Gaza war, Hezbollah’s losses, and continuing Houthi unrest, underscoring the high stakes of the nuclear standoff.