Iran has been grappling with international sanctions for various reasons. Let’s delve into this topic in-depth:

1. Nuclear Program and Treaty Violations:
   • Iran’s clandestine nuclear program has been a major point of contention. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and major powers assert that Iran’s nuclear activities violate its treaty obligations.
   • When Iran joined the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1967, it pledged not to become a nuclear-armed state. However, its actions raised concerns, leading to sanctions.
2. Stringent Sanctions:
   • The sanctions imposed on Iran are among the most stringent globally. They cover various sectors, entities, and individuals.
   • These sanctions are layered and relate to nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and human rights issues
3. Iran’s Support for Terrorist Organizations:
   • Tehran has been providing military and financial support to terrorist groups like Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah.
   • Despite heavy sanctions, Iran continues to allocate over $700 million annually to support these groups, including up to $100 million annually to Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations.
   • Iran has also transferred artillery rockets and facilitated the local production of rockets and missiles for Palestinian groups.
   • The sophistication of Hamas’s attacks on Israel has drawn attention to Iran’s backing of terrorist activities in the Middle East
4. Evasion and Circumvention:
   • Iran evades sanctions through channels like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has become a haven for sanctions evasion.
   • The UAE, despite being gray-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), plays a role in facilitating financial transactions that bypass sanctions.
   • Additionally, UN restrictions on Iran’s trade of missile-related technology have expired, allowing more freedom in moving ballistic missile components³.
5. Iran’s Role in Russia-Ukraine Conflict:
   • Iran supplies Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia for its war with Ukraine.
   • Despite multiple rounds of designations targeting Iran’s UAV program, Iranian drones remain a key tool in Russia’s hands.
   • Iran manages to advance both Hamas’s goals in Israel and Russia’s objectives in Ukraine while facing sanctions and international scrutiny³.

In summary, Iran’s actions, including its nuclear program, support for terrorist groups, and involvement in regional conflicts, have led to extensive international sanctions. These measures aim to curb Iran’s behavior and address global security concerns.

• Aircraft
• Submarine-launched cruise missiles
• The Jericho series of intermediate to intercontinental range ballistic missiles¹.

Israel’s first deliverable nuclear weapon is thought to have been completed in late 1966 or early 1967, making it the sixth country in the world to develop such weapons. However, Israel maintains a policy of deliberate ambiguity, neither officially denying nor admitting to having nuclear weapons. Instead, it consistently states that “Israel will not be the first country to introduce nuclear weapons to the Middle East” ¹.

Despite international pressure, Israel has not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), citing national security interests. Additionally, Israel has developed the Begin Doctrine, which involves counter-proliferation and preventive strikes to prevent other regional actors from acquiring nuclear weapons. Notably, Israel conducted Operation Opera and Operation Orchard, destroying nuclear reactors in Iraq and Syria, respectively. The Stuxnet malware, which severely damaged Iranian nuclear facilities in 2010, is also believed to have been developed jointly by the United States and Israel. As of 2019, Israel remains the only country in the Middle East believed to possess nuclear weapons¹.

This complex situation underscores the delicate balance between deterrence, security, and regional stability in the context of nuclear capabilities.