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The Smarter Way to Target Iran

[Washington Institute for Near East Policy] Patrick Clawson and Michael Jacobson - Sanctioning Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for its terrorist-related activities could have a significant impact, as Iranian leaders are vulnerable to the types of "smart sanctions" that would result. Finding others to join in this designation, however, would make it far more effective. After the extensive use of sanctions in the early 1990s, governments and scholars focused on drawing lessons learned. One point of broad consensus was that targeted sanctions were more effective than broad-brush measures. Ahmadinejad has proved as corrupt as his predecessors. Ahmadinejad's family has parachuted into top positions: the head of the presidential office is his brother, the cabinet executive secretary is one brother-in-law, and the national police commander is another brother-in-law. On August 12, the Industries Minister, one of the more technically competent members of the cabinet, was replaced by Ahmadinejad's nephew. The foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, also appointed as his director-general for human rights his wife, a pharmacologist with no experience in foreign affairs. The U.S. should strongly press other countries to join in the designation against the IRGC. Although action by the UN or Iran's main trading partners would be ideal, having any partners at all for the designation would be far preferable to going it alone.
2007-08-20 01:00:00
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