The United Nations has reimposed sanctions on Iran over accusations that the country violated a nuclear deal.

Britain, France and Germany triggered the return of sanctions on Iran at the UN Security Council after Tehran allegedly violated the 2015 deal aimed at stopping it from developing a nuclear bomb.

The end of the nuclear deal originally agreed by Iran, Britain, Germany, France, the US, Russia and China is likely to further exacerbate tensions in the Middle East, months after Israel and the US bombed Iranian nuclear sites.

Iran denies trying to build nuclear weapons, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday that Tehran had no intention of leaving the 2015 non-proliferation treaty.

After the UN sanctions were reinstated, Iran warned of a harsh response and recalled its ambassadors to Britain, France and Germany for consultations.

Russia and China unsuccessfully tried to delay the return of UN sanctions on Iran, with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov later calling the decision to reinstate them “unlawful”.

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“It cannot be implemented,” he told reporters at the UN.

He added that he had written to Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, to warn him that it would be a “major mistake” for him to acknowledge a return of sanctions on Iran.

Britain, France and Germany had offered to delay reimposing the sanctions for up to six months to allow time for talks on a long-term deal.

In return, the European powers were asking for Tehran to restore access for UN nuclear inspectors, address concerns about its stock of enriched uranium, and engage in talks with the US.

“Our countries will continue to pursue diplomatic routes and negotiations. The reimposition of UN sanctions is not the end of diplomacy,” the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany said in a joint statement.

“We urge Iran to refrain from any escalatory action and to return to compliance with its legally binding safeguards obligations.”

US President Donald Trump believes that diplomacy is still an option for Iran and a new deal remains the best outcome for Iranians and the world, according to US secretary of state Marco Rubio.

“For that to happen, Iran must accept direct talks, held in good faith, without stalling or obfuscation,” he said after the reinstated sanctions were announced.

Mr Rubio added that it was important that countries implement sanctions “immediately in order to pressure Iran’s leaders to do what is right for their nation, and best for the safety of the world”, and accept a new deal.

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The new sanctions on Iran include an arms embargo and a ban on all uranium enrichment, reprocessing activities, the supply of anything that could be used in the country’s nuclear programme, and any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches.

There is also a travel ban on dozens of Iranians, as well as an asset freeze on a dozen Iranian individuals and entities.

Iran’s economy is already struggling after President Trump reimposed US sanctions during his first term in 2018, and its rial currency fell to a new record low over fears of the new sanctions.

Widespread UN sanctions against Iran returned into force for the first time in a decade, after last-ditch nuclear talks with Western powers failed to produce a breakthrough.

The sanctions, two months after Israel and the United States bombed Iran, bar dealings related to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missiles program but are expected to have wider effects on a troubled economy.

Iran allowed UN inspectors to return to its nuclear sites, but Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the United States had offered only a short reprieve in return for handing over its whole stockpile of enriched uranium, a proposal he described as unacceptable.

An 11th-hour effort by Iran allies Russia and China to postpone the sanctions until April failed to win enough votes in the Security Council on Friday, leading to the measures taking effect at 1am Irish time this morning.

Germany, which triggered the return of sanctions alongside Britain and France, had “no choice” as Iran was not complying with its obligations, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.

“For us, it is imperative: Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon,” he told the UN General Assembly.

“But let me emphasize: we remain open to negotiations on a new agreement. Diplomacy can and should continue.”

Russia made clear it would not enforce the sanctions, considering them invalid.

The sanctions “finally exposed the West’s policy of sabotaging the pursuit of constructive solutions in the UN Security Council, as well as its desire to extract unilateral concessions from Tehran through blackmail and pressure,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

No longer just US sanctions

The sanctions are a “snapback” of measures frozen in 2015 when Iran agreed to major restrictions on its nuclear program under a deal negotiated by former president Barack Obama.

The United States already imposed massive sanctions, including trying to force all countries to shun Iranian oil, when President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal in his first term.

Iran and the United States had held several rounds of Omani-brokered talks earlier this year before they collapsed in June when first Israel and then the United States attacked Iranian nuclear facilities.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on UN member states “to implement snapback sanctions immediately in order to pressure Iran’s leaders to do what is right for their nation, and best for the safety of the world.”

He also urged Iran to “accept direct talks, held in good faith, without stalling or obfuscation.”

Iran recalled its envoys from Britain, France and Germany for consultations, state television reported.

Economic ‘malaise’

The United States already enforces unilateral sanctions on Iran and has put huge pressure on third countries to stop buying Iranian oil, although China has defied the pressure.

Brussels-based think tank the International Crisis Group said Iran seemed dismissive of the renewed UN sanctions as it had already worked out how to cope with US sanctions.

However, it noted that the snapback was not easy to reverse as it would require consensus at the Security Council.

“It is also likely to compound the malaise around an economy already struggling with high inflation, currency woes and deepening infrastructure problems,” it said.

In an address to the UN General Assembly earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged no delay in reinstating the sanctions.

The Israeli leader also hinted that Israel was ready to take further military action after the 12 days of bombing that Iranian authorities say killed more than 1,000 people in June.

The fisherman who lost his life off the north west coast has been named locally as Kevin McCloskey.

Mr McCloskey’s body was recovered by a vessel in the search off Teileann in Co Donegal just before 6pm yesterday evening.

Many people in the fishing and coastal community have paid tribute to Mr McCloskey and have expressed their sympathies on his passing.

A tribute published on the Fishing Daily said Kevin McCloskey was a well-known fisherman who had spent his life fishing from Killybegs.

Lough Swilly RNLI said their thoughts were with Kevin McCloskey’s family and friends as well as their fellow search and rescue colleagues.

Sinn Féin’s Fisheries spokesperson Pádraig MacLochlainn said it was another heart-breaking tragedy for the fishing communities as he also extended his sympathy.

The Irish & UK fishing Industries journal, The Skipper extended its deepest condolences and sympathies to Kevin McCloskey’s family and friends.

LAST – a fisherman’s charity that supports bereaved families of those lost at sea said it extended its deepest sympathies to Kevin McCloskey’s family and friends at the time of tragedy.

On Thursday evening, a member of the public alerted the Malin Head Coordination Centre after they found a boat that had run aground, about 4km south of Mullaghmore Head in Co Sligo.

It is believed that the fisherman fell overboard from the vessel as the engine was running when the vessel was discovered on the Sligo coastline.

A multi-agency search off Mullaghmore and in the greater Donegal bay area concluded this evening following three days of intensive searching coordinated by the Coast Guard at Malin Head Maritime Rescue Sub Centre.

The Coast Guard extended their sympathy to the family of the bereaved fisherman and it thanked all the search units and local fishing vessels along with An Garda Síochána and the local community for their support.