The exact number of sanctions on Iran is difficult to pin down precisely due to the complexity of sanctions regimes, which include various measures from multiple countries and international bodies, targeting different entities, individuals, and sectors. However, I can provide a detailed overview based on the most recent information available:
U.S. Sanctions
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Historical Context: The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran since 1979, following the U.S. Embassy seizure in Tehran. These have expanded over time, particularly targeting Iran’s nuclear program, oil exports, financial sector, and support for groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
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Recent Actions:
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As of April 2025, the U.S. has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions, including:
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April 22, 2025: Sanctions on a liquified petroleum gas shipping network.
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April 16, 2025: Sanctions on a China-based “teapot” refinery and additional companies/vessels involved in Iranian oil exports, marking the sixth round of sanctions since the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign was restored.
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April 10, 2025: Sanctions on four entities and two vessels engaged in Iranian petroleum trade.
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March 20, 2025: Sanctions on entities purchasing and transporting Iranian oil.
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February 24, 2025: Sanctions on entities trading in Iran’s petroleum.
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Since 2021, the Biden administration alone sanctioned over 600 individuals and entities related to Iran and its proxies (e.g., Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis).
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The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) maintains a Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List, which includes thousands of Iranian entities, individuals, and vessels. As of 2023, OFAC’s sanctions programs covered numerous Iranian targets, but no precise total count is publicly specified for 2025.
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Scope: U.S. sanctions include comprehensive measures (e.g., trade embargoes, asset freezes) and selective measures (e.g., targeting specific banks, oil companies, or nuclear program entities like the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran).
European Union (EU) Sanctions
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Current Measures: The EU has imposed sanctions on Iran for human rights violations, nuclear proliferation, and military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. As of April 2025:
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Human Rights: Sanctions renewed annually since 2011, extended until April 13, 2025, targeting individuals and entities for human rights abuses. Over 10 packages of sanctions have been adopted since October 2022, with 32 individuals and two entities added recently.
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Military Support for Russia: A framework established in July 2023 bans EU exports of UAV components, extended in May 2024 to include missile components. Six individuals and five entities are currently sanctioned under this regime, extended until July 27, 2024, with updates likely ongoing.
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Nuclear Program: While UN nuclear-related sanctions were lifted in 2016 under the JCPOA, the EU maintains autonomous sanctions, including bans on dual-use goods and equipment for nuclear enrichment.
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Total: The EU’s sanctions likely cover hundreds of individuals and entities, though exact numbers are not aggregated in available sources due to the variety of regimes (human rights, nuclear, Russia-related).
United Nations (UN) Sanctions
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Current Status: UN Security Council sanctions on Iran were significantly reduced in 2016 under Resolution 2231 (JCPOA). The UN arms embargo expired in October 2020, and nuclear-related sanctions expired in October 2023.
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Remaining Measures: Limited restrictions remain under Resolution 2231, primarily monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities, but no comprehensive sanctions are in place. The UN’s focus has shifted to targeted measures, with no specific count of active sanctions provided in 2025 data.
Other Countries
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UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea: These countries have imposed autonomous sanctions complementing U.S. and EU measures, targeting Iran’s nuclear program, human rights abuses, and oil trade. For example:
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Australia implements UN sanctions and autonomous measures, including bans on goods related to nuclear or missile technology.
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The UK froze assets of Iran Air and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines in November 2024 for missile transfers to Russia.
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Total Impact: These sanctions add to the global pressure but are not quantified individually in available data.
Estimated Total
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U.S.: Likely thousands of designations (individuals, entities, vessels) on the SDN List, with over 600 added since 2021 alone.
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EU: Hundreds of individuals and entities across human rights, nuclear, and Russia-related regimes.
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UN: Minimal active sanctions post-2023, with fewer than 10 entities/individuals likely targeted under remaining JCPOA oversight.
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Others: Dozens to hundreds of additional designations from countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia.
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Rough Estimate: Globally, several thousand sanctions (including individuals, entities, vessels, and financial restrictions) are likely active against Iran as of May 2025, with the U.S. contributing the majority.
Challenges in Counting
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Overlap: Many entities are sanctioned by multiple jurisdictions (e.g., the U.S. and EU), making it hard to avoid double-counting.
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Dynamic Nature: Sanctions are frequently updated (e.g., six U.S. rounds in 2025 alone), and lists like OFAC’s SDN are not static.
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Data Gaps: Public sources do not provide a single, unified count, as sanctions are spread across different programs (nuclear, oil, human rights, etc.).
Impact on Iran’s Oil Production
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Despite sanctions, Iran’s oil exports have remained resilient. In 2022, Iran reported exporting over 1 million barrels of crude oil and gas condensate daily, though sanctions have caused significant revenue losses (estimated at $50 billion annually in 2012–2013).
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Recent U.S. sanctions target China-based refineries and Iran’s “shadow fleet” to reduce oil exports to zero, but China remains Iran’s largest oil importer, using yuan-based transactions to evade U.S. sanctions.
Yesterday, the US imposed sanctions on seven entities engaged in Iranian petroleum products and petrochemical products trade as well as identifying two vessels as blocked property.
The tankers Eloise and Olia managed by Vroom Marine Venture were the one picked up for the latest sanctions as the US continues its so-called maximum pressure campaign on Iran, which has seen multiple rounds of sanctions levelled towards Tehran in the opening 100 days of Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
A new round of US-Iran negotiations are expected to take place on Saturday. We will be watching.
Source: Grok on X
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