Sanctions Explained | Simulation

Meghan O’Sullivan, professor at Harvard University and adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, defines the concept of sanctions for “Iran Deal Breach” and other CFR Education case studies. O’Sullivan explains them as restrictions on an economic or political action that would otherwise occur. Sanctions can target trade, investment, or financial transactions; they can also freeze an individual’s assets or prevent travel abroad. Financial sanctions, O’Sullivan says, have become a powerful tool for U.S. policymakers. She notes concern, though, that their use might encourage countries to complete transactions outside the American financial system. Emphasizing that sanctions are a tool, not a strategy, O’Sullivan encourages policymakers to envision not individual sanctions but instead sets of sanctions that are best suited to achieving their goals. She examines the case of Iran, arguing that sanctions will be credited with playing a vital role in bringing the country to the negotiating table and encouraging it to change its behavior. Although many ask whether sanctions work, O’Sullivan suggests that the better question is whether they are the best tool policymakers have at a given time. She concludes that sanctions are likely to remain a major element of U.S. foreign policy.

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