Sanctions are a long-used tool designed as an alternative to military force and with the objective of changing governments’ behaviour, but they also end up hurting civilian citizens.
If in doubt, take a look at 47 years of U.S.-imposed sanctions against Iran, during which sanctions regimes have neither decreased prospects of a military encounter nor altered the policies of Iranian leaders.
Rather, they have negatively impacted Iranian society because of their broad nature affecting business, health, education and humanitarian aspects of life.
In mid-January, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) clamped new sanctions on ships for allegedly transporting Iranian oil to international markets, in violation of unilateral U.S. sanctions.
The U.S. government is relying on energy policies and oil sanctions, to force Iran to back down after it rejected a demand to halt its nuclear programme.
U.S. sanctions on Iran date back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ended Washington’s alliance with the former Shah. Nearly five decades later, those sanctions remain in force.
What began with frozen Iranian assets in U.S. banks, has since expanded, tied to disputes over Tehran’s regional policy, nuclear program, and ballistic missile development.
U.S. sanctions have intensified under Washington’s so-called “maximum pressure campaign”, targeting Iran’s foreign trade, particularly petrochemical exports. It began under President Donald Trump’s first term and has accelerated since his return to office in January 2025.
The sanctions now hit Iran’s energy, shipping, and financial sectors, with negative effects across a broad spectrum of society. Inflation above 50 percent and a steep currency decline of 90 percent have pushed up prices and weakened purchasing power.
While U.S. sanctions officially target specific sectors, their impact has been far-reaching, fuelling shortages and renewing debate over their effectiveness and humanitarian cost.
The U.S. sanctions have not changed Iran’s regional policy or its stand on the nuclear programme and ballistic missiles. The United States is demanding a zero-enrichment policy and limiting the range of Iran’s missiles to about 500 kilometres.
With Iran declaring the U.S. conditions its "red lines," there are no promising prospects on easing of U.S. sanctions, let alone removing them, in the near future.
Trump has said that the U.S. is "watching Iran" and is moving "an armada" of warships towards the country "just in case" he decides to take action.
In response to his threats, Iran unveiled a mural in downtown Tehran showcasing a strike on a U.S. aircraft carrier and a burning U.S. flag.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi told Iran’s top diplomat in Kabul ...
The escalation of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran since 28 February 2026 has moved beyon...
U.S. President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to deploy ground forces to seize Iran’s strategic oil hub of Kharg Island - an operatio...
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a p...
Weekend strikes hit Iran’s Natanz nuclear site and missile facilities near Isfahan, as Tehran responded with missiles and drones targeting Te...
The escalation of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran since 28 February 2026 has moved beyond a regional security crisis to become a systemic shock to the global economy and our pockets.
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a potential global recession, with investors reacting to disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz and prolonged hostilities.
The war in Iran has rapidly upended regional security, triggering spillover across the Middle East and raising fears of wider economic disruption that could threaten globalisation.
Weekend strikes hit Iran’s Natanz nuclear site and missile facilities near Isfahan, as Tehran responded with missiles and drones targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa Bay, and Gulf assets. With U.S. reinforcements deployed and Hormuz tensions rising, the region faces a sharply escalated crisis.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Weekend strikes hit Iran’s Natanz nuclear site and missile facilities near Isfahan, as Tehran responded with missiles and drones targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa Bay, and Gulf assets. With U.S. reinforcements deployed and Hormuz tensions rising, the region faces a sharply escalated crisis.
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi told Iran’s top diplomat in Kabul that trade between the two countries is increasing, while also praising Tehran’s stance on recent tensions involving Pakistan.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been weighing whether to deploy ground forces to seize Iran’s strategic oil hub of Kharg Island - an operation analysts say could be swift, but would expose U.S. troops to significant danger and potentially prolong, rather than shorten, the war.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have traded heavy fire, both sides said, days after they announced a temporary pause in fighting, escalating tensions in the volatile region as Islamabad prepares to host talks between the U.S. and Iran.
More than 372,000 people were left without electricity in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan after heavy rain triggered severe flooding, officials said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said his government will absorb a 56bn-rupee fuel subsidy to shield people from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
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