The United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran early Sunday over its nuclear programme, further squeezing the Islamic Republic as its people increasingly find themselves priced out of the food they need to survive and worried about their futures. 

After last-minute diplomacy failed at the UN, the sanctions took effect on Sunday at 0000 GMT (8 pm Eastern).

The sanctions will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran, and penalize any development of Iran's ballistic missile programme, among other measures. It came via a mechanism known as "snapback", included in Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, and comes as Iran's economy already is reeling. 

Iran's rial currency sits at a record low, increasing pressure on food prices and making daily life that much more challenging. That includes meat, rice and other staples of the Iranian dinner table.

Meanwhile, people worry about a new round of fighting between Iran and Israel - as well as potentially the United States - as missile sites struck during the 12-day war in June now appear to be being rebuilt.

Activists fear a rising wave of repression within the Islamic Republic, which already has reportedly executed more people this year than over the past three decades. 

Sina, the father of a 12-year-old boy who spoke on condition that only his first name be used for fear of repercussions, said the country has never faced such a challenging time, even during the deprivations of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and the decades of sanctions that came later.

"For as long as I can remember, we've been struggling with economic hardship, and every year it's worse than the last," Sina told The Associated Press.

Snapback was designed to be veto-proof at the UN Security Council, meaning China and Russia could not stop it alone, as they have other proposed actions against Tehran in the past.

France, Germany and the United Kingdom triggered snapback over Iran 30 days ago for its further restricting monitoring of its nuclear program and the deadlock over its negotiations with the US.

Tehran weighs  its response

Dubai: Iran weighed on Sunday how to respond to reimposed UN sanctions, with one lawmaker suggesting parliament would consider potentially withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Speaking to the Young Journalists Club, which is affiliated with Iranian state television, lawmaker Ismail Kowsari said Parliament would discuss withdrawing from the nuclear treaty.

"Parliament will discuss this issue... and decide on it," he said. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf issued his own warning to those who would honour the UN sanctions as parliament began meeting on Sunday.