Abstract In recent years, regional developments and political disputes between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have introduced a new issue into the economic relations of the two countries: the adoption and implementation of a series of unilateral sanctions by the UAE against Iran. These sanctions, imposed under security, financial, and international justifications, could themselves become a catalyst for escalating disputes and creating new legal challenges between the two nations. The UAE’s sanctions regime, unlike the extensive models of the United States or the European Union, does not possess a vast and independent sanctions list; rather, it operates through three primary channels: the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, the national terrorist list, and informal compliance with Western sanctions. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach and utilizing library and documentary sources, this article evaluates the legal system of UAE sanctions against Iran in light of international law norms. The research findings indicate that the UAE sanctions regime—comprising federal laws, cabinet resolutions, executive circulars, and technical manuals—has created a multi-layered framework that, while fulfilling international obligations, transcends them to impose extensive restrictions on Iran-related economic activities. From the perspectives of state sovereignty, non-intervention, jurisdiction, countermeasures, and human rights, this system faces serious legitimacy challenges