WALUSUNGU, Ditwayi2026-07-022026https://research.unilus.ac.zm/handle/123456789/681Bachelor of Laws - Research ReportThis paper examined economic sanctions’ intersection with the principle of state sovereignty and human rights, using Iran as a case study. The study outlined the multilateral legal framework (UN Security council sanctions authorized under Chapter VII of the charter) and contrasts it with the unilateral sanctions imposed by individual state parties or blocs. The study further revealed that economic sanctions particularly unilateral sanctions erode Iran’s sovereign equality and violate the fundamental principle of non- intervention, while in turn inflicting server harms on the ordinary civilian population. The study with its findings concluded that while economic sanctions are intended as coercive diplomatic measures the produce server unintended socio-economic and human rights harms that violate international legal obligations. It advocates for policy reforms and legal reforms to reconcile the intent of the sanction to match with principles of sovereignty and human rights so as to mitigate the resultant harm and respect international lawenThesis