Sanctions as a Substitute for Strategy: The Limits of Economic Coercion in Iran The United States' latest salvo in its confrontation with Iran has been met with skepticism from Beijing, but also raises questions about the efficacy and ethics of economic sanctions as a tool of foreign policy.
As US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin vows to impose "the toughest sanctions ever" on Tehran, it's worth examining this approach.
Sanctions have long been a staple of American foreign policy, particularly when dealing with recalcitrant regimes or countries deemed hostile to Western interests.