>The United Nations Security Council imposed several rounds of sanctions on Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.
The sanctions were intended to pressure Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait and comply with other UN resolutions, including those related to the destruction of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs and the return of Kuwaiti prisoners of war.
The most comprehensive sanctions were imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 661 in August 1990, which banned all imports and exports of goods to and from Iraq, except for food and medicine.
The sanctions also froze Iraqi assets abroad, prohibited foreign companies from doing business with Iraq, and restricted Iraq's ability to sell oil.
The sanctions had a devastating impact on the Iraqi economy, causing widespread poverty and malnutrition and contributing to the outbreak of several diseases.
The sanctions also led to an increase in smuggling and other criminal activities.
In 1996, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 986, which allowed Iraq to sell limited amounts of oil in order to purchase food and other humanitarian supplies.
However, the sanctions remained in place until the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The following are some of the specific reasons why the United Nations imposed an embargo on Iraq:
* To punish Iraq for its invasion of Kuwait. The invasion was a clear violation of international law, and the sanctions were intended to send a message that such aggression would not be tolerated.
* To prevent Iraq from using its oil revenues to finance its military. The sanctions were designed to cut off Iraq's ability to sell oil on the international market, thereby depriving it of a major source of income.
* To pressure Iraq to comply with other UN resolutions. The sanctions were also intended to force Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait, to respect the territorial integrity of its neighbors, and to destroy its WMD programs.
The embargo on Iraq was a controversial measure, and it had a number of negative consequences.
• Food and medicine shortages: The embargo led to shortages of food and medicine in Iraq, which caused widespread malnutrition and disease.
• Economic damage: The embargo severely damaged the Iraqi economy, leading to high levels of unemployment and poverty.
• Humanitarian crisis: The embargo created a humanitarian crisis in Iraq, with millions of people living in poverty and lacking access to basic services.
• Environmental damage: The embargo also caused significant environmental damage, including air pollution and water pollution.
Despite these negative consequences, the embargo was successful in achieving its main objectives.
Iraq was forced to withdraw from Kuwait, and it eventually agreed to destroy its WMD programs.
The embargo was eventually lifted in 2003, after the US-led invasion of Iraq.