Snapback not to ...
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Over time, the country has become hardened and experienced under such pressure, having learned and mastered ways to circumvent the restrictions.
One of the most recent measures against Iran has been the “snapback” mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal which was triggered by the France, Germany and the UK to return all UN sanctions on Tehran. The mechanism was wielded by the West as a fresh tool of pressure and intimidation. Yet, given that Iran has already endured the toughest sanctions imposed by Washington since its withdrawal from the nuclear deal in 2018, snapback is unlikely to prove decisive.
There is hardly a type of sanction the nation has not faced. Even in sectors that, by Washington’s own admission, should not fall under sanctions — such as food and medicine — the Iranian people have been subjected to severe restrictions. In practice, patients with special medical conditions have often been left in life-threatening circumstances due to these constraints. It was only thanks to the ingenuity of Iranian researchers and domestic producers that the situation was kept under control.
For this reason, snapback does not amount to an extraordinary threat. What will determine the country’s ability to navigate the current pressures is disciplined, well-planned management at home. Today’s leaders must act in a resolute, almost campaign-like spirit to tackle economic bottlenecks and other challenges head-on.
At the same time, exaggerating the impact of the mechanism or other sanctions — thereby playing into the enemy’s hands — would only bolster hostile psychological warfare. While snapback, like any other sanction, may bring negative consequences, its fallout can be managed through unity and national solidarity, just as before.
Active diplomacy remains a critical pillar of this strategy. Iran must strengthen ties not only with neighboring states but with the broader Islamic world and friendly nations across the globe. The more dynamic and assertive Tehran’s regional and international diplomacy becomes, the lighter the weight of sanctions will be on the national economy.