National Interests and International Commitments: the Problem of Enforcing Sanctions

Recently it has been proposed by the United States that economic sanctions be applied by the international community against the Khomeini regime. Economic pressure is sought to be initiated against the regime in an attempt to force it to change its stand on certain policy matters, more specifically on the issue of holding Americans in Iran as hostages. Once again the whole concept of sanctions has been brought into prominence. The viability of sanctions as instruments of pressure, aimed at bringing about certain internal and/or external changes within the target state is open to debate. Prior to studying their value and effectiveness as a means of international coercion, the theoretical framework within which sanctions are expected to operate may be outlined, the problems inherent and the lacunae present in their structure may be brought out, and the entire concept evaluated.