Unilateral Economic Sanctions in the Light of International Law: Unilateral Sanctions on Islamic Republic of Iran

Abstract

Unilateral sanctions are measures that are taken by some states against other states mostly on political reasons. However, they are sometimes taken in conformity with the UN Security Council resolutions. Targeting states usually have political justifications to take unilateral sanctions even in the absence of any adopted resolution by the Security Council against the targeted state. Although this kind of sanctions is taken against developing countries and their governments, sometimes developed countries are also targeted. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been sanctioned by the United States of America since the early days after the Islamic revolution in 1979. The Security Council resolutions against Iran have aggravated the sanctions against this country and more states have joined the list of targeting governments. Although collective sanctions have been used as a pretext to justify unilateral sanctions on Iran, this kind of measures have raised many questions as to their legitimacy according to international law. This paper has tried to show a brief study of the inconformity of these measures with peremptory principles of international law and human rights.