Warning from Iran as sanctions are restored

IRAN is preparing for a possible confrontation with the West, after the United Nations reimposed sanctions over its nuclear programme, despite appeals for continued negotiations to ease the economic pain squeezing the country.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTERS

The sanctions imposed yesterday again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran, and penalise any development of Iran’s ballistic missile programme, among other measures. It came through a mechanism known as “snapback” included in Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Iran’s Parliament denounced the sanctions before going into a private session yesterday to discuss the country's response, which could include abandoning the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and rushing to produce a bomb.

There are concerns about a new round of fighting between Iran and Israel, as well as potentially the United States, as missile sites struck during the 12-day war in June between Israel and Iran now appear to be being rebuilt by the Iranians.