Economic sanctions are among methods used by domineering governments to try to undermine independent governments. Hegemonic regimes like the US frequently resort to such cowardly methods as part of their expansionist policies. Wherever they face resistance and are unable to launch military actions they use threats, pressures, and sanctions. After World War Two, a total of 183 economic sanctions have been imposed on independent countries, out of which the US alone has subjected the free world to 140 sanctions.

Over the past 33 years since the victory of the Islamic Revolution overthrew the British-installed and American-backed Pahlavi regime, Washington has subjected Islamic Iran to repeated sanctions, some by manipulating the UN and mostly unilateral, all of which are illegal, and have been successfully foiled.

The issue of economic and commercial sanctions has turned this into one of the main discussions today in political science and international relations. There are different theories on the reason why sanctions are imposed and what objectives sanctions follow in foreign policy. Usually countries follow two objectives of imposing sanctions in the strict political sense. They either seek to change the policies of a country or change its governmental system.

The US as the most frequent of such illegal sanctions against the free world has resorted to various pretexts like campaign against terrorism, prevention of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and human rights violation, to impose sanctions, even though the US itself is the major perpetrator of state terrorism, the country with the most number of weapons of mass destruction, and the chief violator of human rights.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been the prime target of US sanctions for the past thirty-three years under various pretexts, but has been succeeded in foiling them despite their intensity. The US is frightened of the growing power of Iran and its mounting influence in the region and beyond, and this is the reason Washington has indulged in all unmanly ways to try to stop the progress of the Islamic system of government. The triumph of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 meant the US had lost its greatest client in the world and despite frenzied efforts it could not maintain the Shah in power on the Peacock Throne.

However, instead of coming to terms with realities, the shortsighted US has indulged in all kinds of crimes against the Islamic Republic including a series of illegal sanctions in a vaid bid to topple the system. The fact that the government of Iran has not resisted these sanctions but has turned them into opportunities for reaching self-sufficiency in all spheres, including the mastering of the nuclear fuel cycle, has annoyed the US and made it impose even more harsher sanctions.

During the Shah’s regime, the US embassy used to be the centre of power in Iran, and the man on the Peacock Throne was nothing more than an American puppet. The triumph of the Islamic Revolution meant a 180-degree change in Iranian policies. The subsequent takeover of the US embassy in Tehran by revolutionary students since it had tuned into a den of spies, further exposed the crimes committed by Uncle Sam in Iran, in the region and in the world. This dynamic step by the students rubbed the US nose into dust and an angry President Jimmy Carter immediately cut off relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, by declaring the first set of economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic. The reaction of Imam Khomeini (May his soul rest in peace) to US economic sanction should be taken as a lesson.

On December 16, 1979, Imam Khomeini said: From now on we will never let the outsiders dictate terms to our country and will be masters of our own destiny. We are not afraid of any sanctions. After three days in an interview with Egypt’s prominent journalist Hasanain Haikal, the Imam dismissed the notion that the US economic sanction would close all gates to Iran. The West along with its propaganda machines tried to frighten Islamic Iran of the consequences of economic sanctions, but resistance was the stance of Imam Khomeini.

On the last day of 1979 in a speech, he said: If we are exposed to more sanctions we will strive more determinedly in all fields, since sanctions are in our interest, and do not frighten us.

Soon, Iran made outstanding progress in all fields, including science and technology, thanks to the guidelines of the Imam Khomeini. Today 33 years have passed and during this period, the US has imposed 33 economic and commercial sanctions on Iran, but without any affect. In these 33 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has steadfastly resisted the US sanctions to take giant strides towards economic and human development. Today, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, by following the guidelines of the Late Imam Khomeini has instilled further self-belief in the Iranian people, to the extent that their innate talents are flowering in all fields.

Thus, thanks to the Leader's guidelines and the efforts of scientists and scholars, Iran currently ranks first in fields of science and technology in the region. Access to peaceful technology of nuclear energy is one of the progresses made by Iran’s young brains. Another important achievement despite sanctions is Iran’s sending of rockets into space and the giant strides it has taken in the field of Nanotechnology.

The US for its part, has become more frustrated and this time, at the behest of the Zionist entity, it has pressured the European Union to impose sanctions on Iran, along with its own insane sanctions, such as banning business with Iran’s Central Bank.

However, these latest theatrics by the US and its accomplices in crimes well shows that it cannot create any obstacle in the path of progress, justice-seeking and preservation of the Islamic Republic of Iran's independence. The Iranian nation has learned how to turn the sanctions from threat to an opportunity. Although sanctions might be irritants for the Iranian nation and government but the Islamic Republic is determined to defeat them through trust in God, and relying on its own indigenous talents. As Ayatollah Khamenei said: the steadfastness of the Islamic Republic of Iran against sanctions will serve as an example to the other nations to withstand the West’s pressures, threats and illegal sanctions.