Iran has responded defiantly to new sanctions announced by the US targeting companies associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards. Two editorials, in the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, argue that more sanctions and European cooperation on sanctions are the only way to avoid military action against Iran.
Matthew Levitt, at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, argues that if sanctions are used as part of a comprehensive strategy to create diplomatic leverage they will be effective, but absent this leverage, “policymakers will eventually be left with the unenviable task of deciding between using military force and tolerating a nuclear Iran. “
Ilan Goldenberg criticizes the Washington Post op-ed. Juan Cole argues that the new sanctions take us further down the road to war. Farideh Farhi sees them as a general political maneuver to show the Iran America’s resolve and to placate the war hawks for a while.
