Key points
- UN sanctions on Iran were re-imposed on 27–28 September 2025; the EU and UK restored their full pre-2016 measures.
- US primary and secondary sanctions can reach non-US companies, banks and carriers worldwide.
- Iran is a final destination even when the buyer sits in Dubai or another hub, and must be declared truthfully.
- As of November 2026 Hormuz is effectively closed and Iranian ports are under a US naval blockade.
- We screen every party, product, route and payment; any match or red flag stops the shipment until compliance decides.
Why we screen every Iran-related shipment
Sanctions apply to people and companies, not only to countries. A shipment can breach them because of the goods, the end user, the vessel, the bank or the port, even when none of the paperwork says Iran. The UAE, China, Türkiye and Iraq are often named in enforcement cases as transshipment points, which is exactly why a forwarder working between Guangzhou and Dubai has to look at every file carefully. Screening protects the importer, the supplier, the carrier and us. A shipment that fails screening is not delayed, it is stopped.
Who sanctions what: four layers to check
- Snapback started by France, Germany and the UK on 28 August 2025 under Resolution 2231
- Resolutions 1696, 1737, 1747, 1803, 1835 and 1929 back in force from 27–28 September 2025
- Arms embargo, ban on nuclear and ballistic-missile goods and technology, asset freezes and travel bans
- Binding on all UN member states, including China and the UAE; Iran, Russia and China dispute the snapback
- Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1975 of 29 September 2025 restored the measures lifted in 2016
- Fund transfers with Iranian persons and banks need authorisation
- Bans on Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, gas and petrochemicals, and on related financing and insurance
- Bans on gold, precious metals, diamonds, graphite, raw and semi-finished metals, key oil and gas equipment and naval equipment
- Asset freezes and travel bans on 71 persons and entities from 29 September 2025
- Iran (Nuclear) Sanctions Regulations amended from 1 October 2025
- Arms embargo and nuclear trade controls restored
- UK insurers and banks restricted from many Iran-linked services
- Near-total embargo for US persons under 31 CFR Part 560
- US-origin goods, software and technology need a licence, including re-exports from third countries
- Secondary sanctions on significant dealings with Iran's energy, shipping, ports, metals, automotive, construction, mining and financial sectors
- IRISL, its affiliates and many vessels and port operators are designated
What is restricted when Iran is involved
| Category | Status | Main source |
|---|---|---|
| Arms, related materiel and military services | Prohibited | UN, EU, UK, US |
| Nuclear, ballistic-missile and drone goods and technology, including many dual-use items (certain machine tools, carbon fibre, sensors, navigation equipment, UAV engines and parts) | Prohibited or licensed | UN, EU, UK, US |
| Graphite, raw and semi-finished metals, key oil, gas and petrochemical equipment, naval equipment | Prohibited | EU |
| Gold, precious metals and diamonds | Prohibited | EU |
| Iranian crude oil, petroleum products and petrochemicals | Prohibited, plus secondary sanctions risk | EU, US |
| Any goods for designated parties such as the IRGC or IRISL | Prohibited | UN, EU, UK, US lists |
| US-origin goods, software or technology | Licence required | US |
| Food, medicine and medical devices | May be authorised under licences, but banks, carriers and insurers often refuse | US general licences, EU and UK exemptions |
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Transit realities as of November 2026
Before 2026, Iran was used as a transit country: sea to Bandar Abbas and then by road or rail to Afghanistan, Iraq, Türkiye or Central Asia, rail from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan into Iran, and the International North–South Transport Corridor. Today those routes are affected at the same time by sanctions, the war and the blockade. Sanctions also apply in full in Iranian free zones such as Kish, Qeshm and Chabahar; lighter customs rules there do not change that.
| Route or point | Status as of November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Shahid Rajaee (Bandar Abbas) | Inside the Strait of Hormuz; affected by the closure and the US blockade |
| Chabahar | US waiver revoked with effect from 29 September 2025; covered by the US blockade |
| Iran to Afghanistan by road (Islam Qala, Milak) | Disrupted by the war and subject to sanctions; not a standard Golden Way service |
| Rail via Turkmenistan into Iran | Subject to sanctions review; not a standard service |
| Pakistan to Afghanistan (Torkham, Chaman) | Closed to trade since October 2025 |
| China to Afghanistan via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (Hairatan) | Main route in 2026; no Iranian leg |
How our screening works
- Screen the partiesShipper, consignee, notify party, end user, banks, carriers and vessel IMO numbers are checked against UN, OFAC, US Entity List, EU, UK and Chinese lists.
- Check the goodsHS codes and specifications are checked against UN nuclear and missile lists, Wassenaar, MTCR, NSG, EU dual-use Annex I, the US EAR and the EU Iran annexes.
- Confirm end useFor technical goods we ask for a written end-use statement and look for military, IRGC, nuclear, missile, drone or energy-sector users.
- Review the routeWe look for unclear final destinations, hub consignees with no business reason, destination changes after loading, ship-to-ship transfers and vessels switching off AIS.
- Review the paymentWho pays, from which country and bank, and in what currency. Only approved, transparent banking channels are accepted.
- Check documentsOrigin, consignee and description must be true and consistent across invoice, packing list and B/L.
- EscalateAny match or red flag stops the shipment until our compliance team decides.
What to send us for a compliance review
0/8What we will not do
- Quote rates or transit times for Iran as a normal service while sanctions, the war and the blockade apply.
- Re-route, re-label or re-describe goods so that an Iranian link does not show.
- Use third-country consignees or companies to stand in for an Iranian buyer.
- Arrange ship-to-ship transfers or carriers that switch off tracking.
- Accept payment through exchange houses or third parties to hide where money comes from.
- Change origin, consignee or value on any document.
Spot the red flag
What we can still help with
Where a customer's real need is a market next to Iran, we offer routes that do not touch it: rail and road through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Hairatan for Afghanistan, Middle Corridor and TIR trucks for Türkiye and Europe, and Central Asia via Khorgos. Iran appears on our route list only as coming next, subject to compliance review, and no Iranian service is offered today. Share the goods, the parties and the route, and our team will reply within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
Are UN sanctions on Iran back in 2026?
Yes. They were re-imposed on 27–28 September 2025 after France, Germany and the UK triggered the snapback under Resolution 2231. The EU and UK restored their own measures at the same time.
Can I ship goods from China to Bandar Abbas?
Not as a normal service. As of November 2026 the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, Iranian ports are under a US naval blockade, and sanctions apply. Any request goes to our compliance team.
Do US sanctions apply to non-US companies?
They can. US secondary sanctions target significant transactions with Iran's energy, shipping, port, metals, financial and other sectors, and US-origin goods need a licence even when re-exported from a third country.
Is transit through Iran to Afghanistan possible?
Iranian transit is disrupted by the war and subject to sanctions, so it is not a standard service. For Afghanistan we look at rail and road via Uzbekistan to Hairatan.
Do sanctions apply in Iranian free zones like Kish and Qeshm?
Yes. Free zones have lighter customs rules, but sanctions apply in full to all Iranian territory.
Can humanitarian goods go to Iran?
Food, medicine and medical devices may be authorised under licences or exemptions, but banks, carriers and insurers often refuse. Each case needs compliance review.
What happens if a party on my shipment is on a sanctions list?
The shipment stops. We do not move goods for listed parties, and our compliance team decides on any match or red flag.
Sources
- UN Security Council – Resolution 2231 background
- US Treasury OFAC – Iran sanctions
- EU Sanctions Map – Iran
- UK Government – UK sanctions on Iran
- Congressional Research Service – Iran's nuclear program and 2025 UN sanctions reimposition (13 October 2026)
- Debevoise & Plimpton – UN, EU and UK reimposed sanctions on Iran (November 2025)
- Lloyd's List Intelligence – Strait of Hormuz Brief, 22 October 2026
- Maritime Executive – US revokes sanctions waiver on Iran's Chabahar port
General information checked on the date shown. Rules and rates change: our team confirms the details for your shipment.