In 2003, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the existence of previously undeclared nuclear facilities in Iran, in violation of its Safeguards Agreement under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Despite international calls, Iran refused to suspend proliferation-sensitive activities. In February 2006, the IAEA Board of Governors reported Iran’s nuclear program to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). In response, the UNSC imposed a series of sanctions between December 2006 and June 2010 to curb Iran’s expanding nuclear capacity.

On July 14, 2015, the five permanent members of the UNSC (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and Germany concluded the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran. The JCPOA placed long-term restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program, subject to extensive international verification, to ensure it remained exclusively peaceful. It also established a “snapback” mechanism, allowing for the automatic reimposition of UN sanctions if Iran was found in significant non-compliance. Any JCPOA party could notify the UNSC, triggering a 30-day process after which all previous UN sanctions would be reinstated unless the Council voted to continue sanctions relief.

On July 20, 2015, the UNSC endorsed the JCPOA through resolution 2231 (2015). In exchange, Iran received significant sanctions relief from measures previously imposed for its non-compliance.

As a Member State of the UN, and under Article 25 of the UN Charter, Canada is legally bound to implement binding UNSC decisions adopted under Chapter VII. Canada incorporates such decisions into domestic law through regulations under the United Nations Act (UNA). In 2007, Canada established the Regulations Implementing the United Nations Resolutions on Iran (UN Iran Regulations).

In 2016, Canada amended its autonomous sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Iran) Regulations (SEMA Iran Regulations) to reflect progress under the JCPOA, while maintaining strict controls on sensitive goods linked to nuclear proliferation and Iran’s ballistic missile program. In October 2023, Canada further amended its autonomous measures to roll over and incorporate UN sanctions that had expired on October 18, 2023.

On August 28, 2025, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom (E3) informed the UNSC of Iran’s significant non-performance of its JCPOA commitments, thereby triggering the snapback mechanism under UN resolution 2231. On September 19, 2025, a UNSC resolution to extend sanctions relief failed to achieve sufficient support, resulting in the automatic reimposition of UN nuclear-related sanctions on Iran.