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Statutory guidance

Iran sanctions: guidance

Statutory guidance for the Iran sanctions regime, plus a summary of its purposes, scope and prohibitions.

Updates to this page

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Export Control Joint Unit, Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation and Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation
Published:
15 December 2023
Last updated:
9 September 2026
Show all updates

  1. The statutory guidance has been amended to reflect The Iran (Sanctions) (Amendments) Regulations 2026

  2. Changes to the licensing responsibilities among DBT's licensing teams.

  3. Added summary of the regime's purposes, scope and prohibitions.

  4. Page has been updated for better clarity and usability. No material changes to text.

  5. Page navigation has been updated for better usability. No material changes to text.

  6. These changes reflect the Sanctions (EU Exit) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No.2) Regulations 2024 and taken together make a range of technical changes with the purpose of improving OFSI’s ability to gather intelligence on industry’s compliance with financial sanctions, strengthen OFSI’s enforcement powers, enable OFSI to conduct its licensing responsibilities more efficiently, and clarify financial sanctions legislation where there is existing uncertainty.

  7. Added the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI), the Export Joint Control Unit (ECJU) and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) as a supporting organisation. OTSI took over civil enforcement for sanctions in October 2024. As part of these new powers, OTSI has introduced a new service to apply for sanctions licences for the provision of services, which replaces the previous process of applying via SPIRE. Applications for goods-related exports sanctions licences remain via SPIRE.

  8. This instrument amends the 2023 Iran Regulations to expand the trade sanctions against Iran, with the aim of disrupting Iran’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and missile industry. Specifically, the instrument will prohibit the export, supply and delivery and making available of additional goods and technology used by Iran to produce Advanced Conventional Weapons. The instrument also prohibits the provision of ancillary services (brokering services, technical assistance, financial services etc.) that enables the prohibited activities.

  9. Amended to include guidance on director disqualification legislation.

  10. Added wording for director disqualification sanctions.

  11. First published.

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Iran sanctions: statutory guidance

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Details

The Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023, and certain other regulations, are in force to meet the UK’s policy objectives.  

This summary gives a quick overview of the sanctions in place under the regime. It is not comprehensive and is not a replacement for the statutory guidance or the regulations themselves. 

Summary 

Regime is limited in scope to: 

  1. sanctions targeting designated persons  
  2. sanctions in respect of goods and technology which might be used for internal repression   
  3. sanctions in respect of monitoring and interception of telecommunications   
  4. sanctions in respect to goods and technology of strategic concern 

Designated persons  

The UK Sanctions List tells you who is designated under the regime and which sanctions have been applied to them. A designated person can be an individual, a business or an organisation.  

The statutory guidance lists in detail the sanctions that can apply in respect of designated persons, including: 

  • an asset freeze on their funds and other assets 
  • making available funds or economic resources to them or for their benefit 
  • director disqualification 
  • immigration sanction (travel ban) 

Under this regime, ships that are specified can also be subject to sanctions. 

Sanctioned goods and services 

You must not export or otherwise supply or transfer to Iran or for use in Iran, or to a person connected with Iran certain goods in these categories (this is not an exhaustive list): 

  • internal repression goods and technology
  • interception and monitoring goods and technology
  • goods of a strategic nature 

Related financial services, brokering services and technical assistance may also be subject to sanctions. 

You must not directly or indirectly provide interception and monitoring services to or for the benefit of the Government of Iran. 

You must not make available or transfer goods or technology of strategic concern to, or for use in, Iran.

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