Politics & Governance / International Politics / Diplomacy & International Relations

This study delves into the multiple consequences of long-term US economic sanctions against Iran

How Sanctions Work: Iran and the Impact of Economic Warfare

How Sanctions Work: Economic Warfare Against Iran and Its Impact 制裁如何运作：伊朗经济战及其影响The Invisible War This study delves into the multiple consequences of long-term US economic sanctions against Iran, arguing that these policies have failed to achieve the anticipated regime change or behavioral shifts. Instead, the comprehensive economic blockade has not weakened the ruling class; rather, the lack of transparency has strengthened regime-linked organizations, leading to the impoverishment of the Iranian middle class and the shrinking of civil society. The authors emphasize that sanctions have fostered a "battlefield mentality" within Iran, further securitizing and militarizing the country's politics and exacerbating regional tensions. Ordinary citizens suffer the pain of collective punishment amid inflation and scarcity, forced to survive through mutual aid networks and self-sufficient economic models. Ultimately, this data demonstrates that sanctions, as a form of asymmetric warfare, often cause irreversible social damage and lead to a lose-lose diplomatic stalemate.