The Political and Legal Challenges Undermining Iran Sanctions

The U.S.-led global sanctions campaign against Iran is starting to unravel. The European Union's Court of Justice has removed two major Iranian banks from the sanctions list, and more de-listings are on the way. Though the U.S. Congress will try to compensate for the de-listings by passing additional sanctions, the perception of a slackening sanctions regime will make it very difficult for Washington to sustain the campaign politically on a global scale. This turn of events will have significant implications for negotiations between the United States and Iran in 2013.