Can Sanctions Deter Tehran?
Should the European deal fail to interest Tehran, the next step for the U.S. and its allies would be to upbraid Iran at the UN Security Council and begin the process of pursuing comprehensive international sanctions against it. Even though the major European powers have indicated they’ll back Washington on sanctions if diplomacy fails, the going may yet be tough in international forums given the widespread sympathy for Iran’s position, and skepticism of the underlying motivations of the major powers. Still, sanctions would carry some weight, for the simple reason that even the hardliners in Tehran are desperate to reintegrate their economy with the West. Failure to generate jobs and wellbeing in Iran may be an even greater threat to the survival of the regime than the battle plans of Washington’s neocons. One third of Iran’s trade comes from the European Union, and Tehran’s economic model is heavily dependent on the prospect of attracting significant foreign investment. On the other ha
