IRAN AND THE WEST: A DISCOURSE ON SANCTION PRESSURE OVER NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

Iran relations with the west over a decade have been characterized by multiple sanctions over its nuclear program. This study focuses on the sanctions imposed on Iran to compel the state to discontinue with suspected weaponisation of its nuclear program. It interrogated some of the available literature on the subject and the historical method of analysis was deployed. The paper argues that although the current sanctions pressure have negatively impacted the Iranian economy, it is no longer a viable strategy in dealing with the Iranian nuclear program because it is most likely not to achieve the desired result of a complete abandonment of the nuclear program. It reveals that the US snapback of sanctions on Iran is not only threatening transatlantic solidarity but further creates a deep divide between the USon one hand and China and Russia on the other hand that is opposed to such unilateral actions of the US. The paper concluded that the west particularly the US must resolve differences withChina and Russia to achieve broad international cooperation needed to push Iran to the round table to negotiate in a multilateral format all the contentious issues bothering on its nuclear program including accepting restraints.KEYWORDS: Iran, the West, Analysis, Sanctions Pressure, Nuclear Programme