Sanctions
Public Consultation on Australia's Sanctions relating to Iran
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will hold public consultations on proposed amendments to the Autonomous Sanctions Regulations 2011 to give effect to measures announced by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on 6 December 2011 and 24 January 2012 imposing additional autonomous sanctions on Iran.
More information on the Public Consultation on Australia's Sanctions relating to Iran
Restrictions on Financial Transactions involving Iran
From 1 March 2012, transactions of $20,000 or more between Australia and Iran are prohibited without prior authorisation from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This is irrespective of whether the transaction is carried out through electronic funds transfer, transfer under other remittance arrangements, or through a bill of exchange, promissory note or letter of credit. This prohibition (and thus, the need for prior authorisation) does not apply:
- where one of the parties to the transaction is the Commonwealth, a State or Territory; or
- the transaction relates to the Iranian Embassy in Canberra or a member of the diplomatic staff of the Embassy; or
- the transaction relates to the head or member of staff of a consular post operated by Iran in Australia or an external territory.
More information: Restrictions on Financial Transactions involving Iran
UN Security Council Sanctions
In situations where the UN Security Council has determined the existence of a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or an act of aggression, the Charter of the United Nations (the Charter) authorises it to decide on measures to be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security (Charter Article 39).
Members of the United Nations are legally bound to accept and carry out these measures (Charter Article 25).
Those measures that do not involve the use of armed force are known as "sanctions".
More information on UN Security Council sanctions
- What measures are imposed as UN Security Council sanctions?
- How are UN Security Council sanctions implemented in Australia?
Australia's autonomous sanctions
"Autonomous sanctions" are punitive measures not involving the use of armed force that the Australian Government chooses to take (as opposed to measures it is obliged to take by virtue of UNSC resolution) as a foreign policy response to situations of international concern.
These measures seek to apply pressure on regimes to desist in the repression of human rights and democratic freedoms, or the pursuit of internationally or regionally destabilising policies (such as WMD proliferation), or to prevent regime leaders using Australia as a haven for misappropriated state or other funds.
In some instances, autonomous sanctions may be used to supplement UNSC sanctions.
More information on Australian autonomous sanctions
What measures are imposed as autonomous sanctions?
Queries on sanctions
For general information on sanctions and their application in Australian law, please refer to In this section menu of information.
If you have a specific question about the application of sanctions to a particular transaction, please submit an inquiry online using the department's Online Sanctions Administration System.
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