On 2 August 1990, Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait. The UN Security Council responded the same day with Resolution 660, condemning the invasion and demanding Iraq’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal. This crisis set the stage for a long UN sanctions regime linked to reversing the invasion and addressing its consequences.
On 6 August 1990, the Security Council adopted Resolution 661, imposing broad economic sanctions on Iraq (and, in practice at the time, occupied Kuwait). The measures limited most imports and exports and created a sanctions committee to oversee exemptions for humanitarian needs. Sanctions became the main tool for pressuring Iraq to comply with UN demands without immediate use of force.
On 25 August 1990, Resolution 665 called on member states to use maritime measures to enforce the sanctions. This strengthened the embargo by supporting inspections and interdictions of shipping suspected of violating restrictions. It marked a shift from rules on paper to active international enforcement.
After the 1991 Gulf War, the Security Council adopted Resolution 687 on 3 April 1991, laying out the ceasefire terms. It linked any future easing of sanctions to Iraq meeting obligations, including disarmament related to weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles under international supervision. This tied sanctions to long-term compliance, not just ending the occupation of Kuwait.
On 5 April 1991, Resolution 688 addressed the humanitarian crisis created by repression of Iraqi civilians and resulting refugee flows. It demanded an end to the repression and called for access for international humanitarian organizations across Iraq. While not a sanctions resolution by itself, it shaped how sanctions debates increasingly included civilian protection and relief.
Resolution 699, adopted on 17 June 1991, confirmed that the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had ongoing authority to inspect and remove or destroy prohibited weapons-related items in Iraq. The inspection system became central to determining whether Iraq was meeting the ceasefire conditions tied to sanctions. This created a continuing cycle of inspections, reports, and disputes over compliance.
On 15 August 1991, Resolution 706 set out a mechanism for limited Iraqi oil sales to fund humanitarian purchases, under UN oversight. It was an early attempt to reduce civilian harm while keeping core sanctions pressure in place. This approach later evolved into the larger Oil-for-Food Programme.
On 14 April 1995, Resolution 986 established a UN-controlled way for Iraq to sell oil to finance humanitarian goods such as food and medicine. The goal was to address a “serious humanitarian situation” while maintaining sanctions until Iraq met key disarmament and other obligations. It became one of the most significant multilateral sanctions-related humanitarian programs of the era.
The Oil-for-Food Programme began implementation in December 1996, starting Phase I on 10 December 1996. From this point, large parts of Iraq’s civilian supply of food and basic goods depended on UN-approved contracts and UN-monitored distribution. The program’s scale also increased the importance of contract review and oversight within the sanctions system.
On 20 February 1998, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1153, raising the permitted value of Iraqi oil exports under Oil-for-Food to $5.256 billion for a 180-day period. The Council framed the increase as a step to prevent further deterioration of humanitarian conditions. This change reflected growing international focus on civilian impacts while sanctions remained in force.
On 16 December 1998, UNSCOM withdrew its personnel from Iraq, and inspections in Iraq effectively stopped for a period. This deepened the standoff over disarmament obligations that were tied to sanctions relief under Resolution 687. With fewer inspections, the Security Council faced greater difficulty judging compliance and adjusting sanctions with confidence.
Resolution 1284, adopted on 17 December 1999, created the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) to take over the inspection and monitoring role from UNSCOM. It aimed to rebuild an inspection system that could credibly verify disarmament obligations central to the sanctions framework. The change reflected both political dispute over the old system and the need for continued verification tied to sanctions policy.
On 14 May 2002, Resolution 1409 approved revised procedures including a “Goods Review List” to focus controls on items with possible military use (often called “dual-use” goods). The resolution also extended Oil-for-Food and reduced some earlier broad restrictions on civilian goods. This represented a move toward more targeted controls while keeping the arms embargo and other core limits.
On 8 November 2002, Resolution 1441 declared Iraq in “material breach” of its disarmament obligations and offered a final opportunity to comply. It strengthened the inspection regime under UNMOVIC and the IAEA and required new declarations and cooperation. The resolution became a major turning point because it intensified pressure while debates grew over enforcement and the risk of war.
On 28 March 2003, Resolution 1472 adjusted the Oil-for-Food Programme after it was disrupted by the start of major hostilities and the withdrawal of UN staff. The resolution temporarily gave the UN Secretary-General more authority to manage and prioritize humanitarian deliveries. It showed how sanctions-related humanitarian systems had to adapt quickly during wartime conditions.
On 22 May 2003, Resolution 1483 lifted the long-standing trade sanctions against Iraq, while keeping key security restrictions such as the arms embargo. It also terminated the Oil-for-Food Programme and set new arrangements for managing Iraqi oil revenues and supporting reconstruction under international oversight. This marked the clear end state of the 1990–2003 UN sanctions regime that began after the invasion of Kuwait.
UN Security Council Sanctions on Iraq (1990–2003)