Global Reactions to the Full Return of US Sanctions Against Iran

The full return of US sanctions against Iran, which came into effect on Monday, November 5, has elicited various global reactions, sparking both praise and criticism. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated on Monday morning that Tehran will "proudly break" the sanctions and will sell its oil "under any circumstances." Outside of Iran, reactions to the full return of sanctions varied: In the UK, Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesperson expressed regret over the return of US sanctions, stating that the UK still considers the JCPOA an agreement that "makes the world safer" and that London will adhere to it as long as Iran complies with its commitments. The spokesperson also added, "We will continue to fully support trade relations with Iran and encourage British companies to take advantage of increasing trade opportunities with Iran." In Germany, a government spokesperson announced that "legal trade relations" with Iran will continue. Steffen Seibert, the German government spokesperson, noted the full return of US sanctions and said, "We are examining how we can support our trade commitments in Iran." Germany and the UK were among the European countries that sought to establish a financial mechanism to guarantee their trade relations with Tehran in recent months. The details of this mechanism (known as SPV) are still unclear, but the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated on Monday morning that "the generalities will be clarified soon." A Russian official announced on Monday that Russia, along with China and the European Union, will continue efforts to "ensure the effective continuation of the nuclear agreement." Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia's representative at the Atomic Energy Agency, commented on the return of US sanctions against Iran, saying, "As far as Russia is concerned, we will make every effort to keep the JCPOA effective in cooperation with China, European members of the JCPOA, and some other relevant countries." China’s Foreign Ministry, which had negotiated for an exemption from the US in recent months, expressed its opposition to the return of US sanctions. Hua Chunying, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, emphasized that the JCPOA "must remain comprehensive and effective" and expressed regret over the US decision. She also criticized "unilateral sanctions that are opposed by the international community," stating that all parties should consider "long-term interests" and adhere to their commitments. In Israel, two senior officials welcomed the full return of US sanctions against Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked US President Donald Trump for this "brave, decisive, and important decision," which he believes will lead to stability, security, and peace. Earlier, Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's Defense Minister, praised Trump's "brave decision," calling the full return of sanctions a "fundamental decision" and a "serious blow to Iran's influence in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, and Yemen." Yoshihide Suga, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, stated on Monday that "close contacts" with US officials regarding the details of the sanctions are ongoing. However, according to Reuters, this Japanese official refrained from providing details. Japan is one of eight countries that, having received a limited exemption from the US, can temporarily continue to purchase limited oil from Iran. Indian officials, including the country's oil minister, confirmed in the past two days that India is one of the eight countries that received a limited exemption from the US. However, an Indian government official referred to details of this exemption, stating that India will continue to purchase 1.25 million tons of oil from Iran monthly until the end of March (about five months from now). India is the second-largest buyer of Iranian oil after China and has had extensive negotiations with US officials in recent months.