Prof. Marandi: Demystifying Iran | Sanctions: The art of silently killing kids

For more than forty years, the United States has carried out a prolonged campaign of economic pressure against the Islamic Republic of Iran, relying not on military strikes but on sanctions, financial isolation, and restrictions on banking. Marketed as an alternative to open warfare, this approach has sought to weaken Iran’s ability to endure external pressure.

In this week’s episode of Demystifying Iran, Professor Mohammad Marandi dives deep into how this economic warfare has been repeatedly framed in the rhetoric of national security, human rights, counterterrorism, and nuclear nonproliferation. Officials have portrayed it as a carefully calibrated policy aimed at decision-makers rather than society at large.

The reality, however, has been far broader. Sanctions have disrupted trade, limited access to essential goods and medical supplies, and strained everyday life for millions. What is often described as targeted economic pressure has, in effect, translated into widespread civilian hardship, exposing the true human cost behind the policy. 00:00 Introduction 0:39 Sanctions: The art of silently killing kids 7:39 Historical Context of the Sanctions 11:14 Mechanics of the Siege 13:00 Sanctions as a Form of Biological Warfare 16:35 The Sky is not Exempt 17:57 Finance and Livelihoods 21:43 What impact have the sanctions truly had?