# The Iran (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations amend the Iran (Sanctions) (Nuclear) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/461) (“the 2019 Regulations”) and the Iran (Sanctions) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1314) (“the 2023 Regulations”) using powers under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (c. 13).
Regulations 3 to 13 amend the 2019 Regulations—
(i) regulation 4 amends regulations 2 and 3 to insert new definitions, and to ensure that prohibitions and requirements imposed in ships’ licences may be contravened by conduct outside the United Kingdom or in the territorial sea;
(ii) regulation 5 amends regulation 5 of the 2019 Regulations to give the Secretary of State power to designate persons for the purposes of any of the new provisions inserted into the 2019 Regulations by these Regulations;
(iii) regulation 6 imposes new financial measures including introducing prohibitions on: investments in relation to Iran; accounts or corresponding banking relationship with Iranian entities; the provision of insurance and reinsurance services to persons connected with Iran and on the sale or purchase of Iranian bonds;
(iv) regulation 7 imposes new trade sanctions in relation to gold, precious metals and diamonds; energy-related goods or technology; sectoral software goods and sectoral software and technology; specified relevant goods and technology; oil and petroleum products; petrochemicals and natural gas and ships. It also imposes sanctions on the provision and procurement of services relating to specified ships;
(v) regulation 8 imposes new measures in relation to Iranian aircraft and specified ships;
(vi) regulation 9 amends the provisions on exceptions and licences in Part 6, and regulations 10 and 11 amend the provisions on enforcement and maritime enforcement in Parts 8 and 9, respectively, of the 2019 Regulations;
(vii) regulation 12 inserts a number of Schedules of restricted items into the 2019 Regulations.
Regulations 14 to 31 amend the 2023 Regulations—
(i) regulation 15 defines “ships licence”. Regulation 16 amends regulation 3 to ensure that prohibitions and requirements imposed in ships’ licences may be contravened by conduct outside the United Kingdom or in the territorial sea;
(ii) regulation 17 amends regulation 5 of the 2023 Regulations to give the Secretary of State power to designate persons for the purposes of new regulation 43B;
(iii) regulation 18 imposes new sanctions on the provision of technical assistance, and the provision and procurement of services relating to specified ships;
(iv) regulation 19 imposes a prohibition on chartering or operating specified ships;
(v) regulation 20 prohibits the registration of specified ships;
(vi) regulation 21 amends regulation 51 on the specification of ships to reflect the new prohibitions relating to ships, and to extend the definition of “relevant activity”;
(vii) regulation 22 amends the interpretation provisions for Part 7;
(viii) regulations 23 to 26 amend the provisions on exceptions and licences in Part 8 of the 2023 Regulations;
(ix) regulations 27 to 30 amend the provisions on enforcement in Part 10 of the 2023 Regulations to reflect the new prohibitions;
(x) regulation 31 adds a number of items to, and removes some items from, Schedule 4 (Goods of strategic concern and technology of strategic concern).
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen. A de minimis assessment has been prepared as this instrument is likely to entail some costs for businesses, but the net impact is estimated to be below £10 million per year.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/983/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/iran-sanctions-amendment-regulations-2026/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.