A Look At Iranian Sanctions

The United States has had economic sanctions against Iran for much of the last three decades. In the 1980s, the U.S. wanted to cut Iranian export revenues, which would in turn cut into Iran's ability to sponsor terrorism.

That issue is still there, of course, but now sanctions also aim at depriving Iran's nuclear program of funding. From the way Iran is acting, it looks like the sanctions are working. If you're confused about all the sanctions the United States has levied on Iran, read here for a brief history.