Columbia International Affairs Online

CIAO DATE: 6/5/2007

Economic Sanctions against Iran: Engaging, Not Confronting, Allies

Michael Jacobson

2007

Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

On April 18, 2007, senior Treasury and State Department officials testifying before Congress were criticized for failing to employ sufficiently tough economic sanctions against Iran. This failure was partly attributed to Washington's fear of upsetting foreign allies. Ironically enough, the Bush administration could use such congressional pressure as leverage in its efforts to forge effective international cooperation on Iran.