The Evolution of US Sanctions Policy; From Deterrence Means to War (With an Emphasis on Media Approaches)

Sanction has become as an inseparable part of foreign policy. The United States of America resorts to it as its own foreign policy means more than other countries do. This paper aims to explain various aspects of American instrumental use of sanctions against other countries. The main question of this article is that, what are different aspects of American use of sanctions as a means of foreign policy in international era? The hypothesis is that: Using its different potentials, US has illegally and politically tried to form international regime of sanctions and to convert it into an agent for governance in the international realm. The research method is analytic-descriptive. The findings show that the status of sanction in the American foreign policy has been shifted from deterrence means to an instrument for the change of opposing regimes as well as war. Considering the increase in the scope of US sanctions and the reduction of this country's position in the international system, creating a club of sanctioned countries can weaken the international regime of US sanctions and act as an obstacle in turning sanctions into a tool of US global governance. IRIB World Service media can be effective in bringing together the embargoed countries in order to create a "club of sanctioned countries" and harmonize the public opinion of the world and international institutions in this regard.