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12 - The Effects of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and Subsequent US Withdrawal, on Iranian Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2025

By
Faezeh Manteghi  and
Seyed Emadeddin Tabatabaei
Edited by
Hadi Enayat  and
Mirjam Künkler
Hadi Enayat
Affiliation:
Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilizations, Aga Khan University
Mirjam Künkler
Affiliation:
Institute for Advanced Legal Study
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Summary

The authors – Iranian lawyers working in international trade law – examine the rule-of-law effects of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which limited Iran’s enrichment activities and implemented enhanced monitoring of its nuclear program in exchange for relief from all UN and European Union nuclear-related sanctions. From January 16, 2016, financial transactions and a range of associated service sectors in Iran were opened up for international trade. These included banking and insurance; oil, gas, and the petrochemical sector; shipping and transport sectors; metals; and software. At the same time, restrictions on the transfer of sensitive goods and ballistic missiles, as well as measures against certain entities, remained in force. The US withdrawal from the agreement in 2018 has led to increased trade between Iran China, and, overall, has reversed the Iranian state’s forced withdrawal from certain branches of the economy, thereby resolidifying both its political and economic power.

Keywords

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)UN sanctionsEU sanctionseconomic and financial sanctionsfree tradefree trade zonesinvestment lawWorld Trade Organization
Type
Chapter
Information
The Rule of Law in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Power, Institutions, and the Limits of Reform
 , pp. 357 - 385
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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