Babak Namdar

Mr. Salehi-Isfahani argues:

effective foreign policy tool is strongest when the country in question is brimming with internal political tensions caused by years of stagnation or decline in living standards, which sanctions can intensify to bring about the desired policy shift by the country’s rulers. This is not the situation in Iran.

Source: Brookings Institute

OK lets see:

explosive internal “tensions” - check

decline in living standards - check check check

Mr. Salehi-Isfahani is either uninformed or is basing his comments on the upper-class that live in northern Tehran.

There are videos floating around about Iranians chanting “death to Russia” and “death to China”, clearly voicing support for sanctioning regimes which provide the Islamic Republic legitimacy and survivability.

Though many would like to argue that the Islamic Republic can sustain any sanctioning regimes, even the IMF declared that sanctions are hurting the economy.

Well you knew it was coming and finally a senior military official stated as much.

When asked whether the Islamic Republic could keep their nuclear program, Admiral Michael Mullen replied “that’s certainly a possibility“.

While the State Department says that “We want to keep the focus on Iran and what Iran is doing, and what we can do collectively in order to try to persuade Iran to take a different course“.

The two statements taken together basically means “Ok, you win”.