Economic sanctions have frequently been used as a foreign policy tool against the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The consequences of these sanctions have been...Show moreEconomic sanctions have frequently been used as a foreign policy tool against the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The consequences of these sanctions have been investigated for instance in the context of basic human rights. However, the quality of life for Iran’s local communities is also largely defined by trends of environmental change, particularly those relating to water, such as more frequent droughts and flooding. As economic sanctions have, directly or indirectly, led to diminished resources at the national and local level, the capacity of local communities to adapt to environmental change is also hindered. An analysis of these international-national-local relations through the lens of environmental justice suggests that such community-level indirect effects should be better taken into account in evaluating the consequences and justification of economic sanctions.Show less
