Iran braces for snapback sanctions as hunger and fear mount
UN sanctions set to snap back Sunday amid inflation, food shortages and fears of renewed conflict
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A hungrier, poorer and more anxious Iran braced for the reimposition of United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program, as inflation gnawed at household budgets and food prices climbed. With Iran's economy battered by years of sanctions and a collapsing rial, ordinary people faced a growing squeeze on basics such as meat, rice and dairy, even before any new rounds of restrictions took effect.
Early Sunday at 0000 GMT (8 p.m. Eastern Saturday), barring any last-minute diplomatic breakthrough, U.N. sanctions on Iran will be reimposed through the snapback mechanism, designed to be veto-proof at the U.N. Security Council. The move will once again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran, and penalize any development of Iran9s ballistic missile program, among other measures. France, Germany and the United Kingdom triggered the snapback over Iran, citing the deadlock in negotiations with the United States and Iran's nuclear activities, and restricting monitoring of the program.
Iran also withdrew from the International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring after Israel9s war with the country in June, which involved U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Iran maintains a stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60 percent purity, a short technical distance from weapons-grade material at 90 percent. Tehran has long said its program is peaceful; Western governments and the IAEA have said there was a historical weapons program that ended in 2003.
Iran recalled its ambassadors to France, Germany and the United Kingdom for consultations ahead of the sanctions, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. The move underscores Tehrans protest against the snapback and European participation in the process despite Washingtons 2018 withdrawal from the nuclear deal.
Economically, the country is contending with inflation that the government has pegged at about 34.5% in June, with the cost of essential foods rising even faster. The Statistical Center reported food items gaining more than 50% on average, but shoppers describe price shocks far more dramatic on the ground. Pinto beans tripled in price in a year, butter nearly doubled, and rice rose by more than 80% on average, with premium varieties doubling again. Whole chicken rose about 26%, while beer and lamb prices climbed roughly 9%.
"Every day I see new higher prices for cheese, milk and butter," said Sima Taghavi, a mother of two in Tehran. "I cannot omit them like fruits and meat from my grocery list because my kids are too young to be deprived."
The pressure from the war and the inflation has taken a toll on mental health, with more patients seeking psychologists since June. Dr. Sima Ferdowsi, a clinical psychologist and professor at Shahid Beheshti University, told Hamshahri that the combination of war anxiety and runaway inflation threatens social cohesion and could lead to serious social and moral consequences if the economic situation persists.
Iran has faced multiple nationwide protests in recent years, fueled by anger over the economy, women9s rights and calls for changes to the regime. In 2022, protests surged over Mahsa Amini9s death in police custody. In the aftermath of the June war and the crackdown that followed, executions in 2025 have risen to more than 1,000, according to the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran, which warned the tally could be higher because Iran does not disclose all executions.
The disquiet is set against a broader international backdrop: Iran insists its program is peaceful, while the West and the IAEA say Tehran conducted an organized weapons program up to 2003. The United States and Israel maintain concerns about miscalculation or miscommunication in the absence of intrusive inspections; experts warn the lack of monitoring could be used as a pretext for further strikes if hostilities resume.
The Associated Press notes that its nuclear-security coverage is supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Outrider Foundation, and AP retains full editorial control over its content.