The international legal system, as an unorganized legal system, faces many difficulties in ensuring it’s implementing its rules. Due to the lack of institutional mechanisms to counter and punish violations of international law, the international law system recognizes the right of each state to resort to countermeasures to counter violate international obligations and to compensate for damages.

The use of economic sanctions by some governments without the prior authorization of the Security Council and outside the United Nations Charter of Collective Security has made their legitimacy in line with international law uncertain. Some boycotters cite the principle of the freedom of governments to establish or sever their business relations with other states in justifying their actions. In some cases, the use of unilateral sanctions is seen as a tool to advance the national policy goals of powerful states. Whatever the ultimate goal of unilateral economic sanctions, the international obligations of governments within the framework of international human rights treaties must be taken into account.

Ignoring the detrimental effects of sanctions on the human rights situation in the target country not only destroys the legitimacy of these actions but also creates liability for governments or sanctions governments by international law. This article reviews the legitimacy of US sanctions against Iran and provides assessments of its non-compliance with international law and the effects of these sanctions.