Recognizing Sanctions & the Catastrophic Outcomes
- Vardui Chtrkyan
- Sep 26
- 2 min read
By: Raashi Khamkar
The ideology of sanctions has helped many governmental bodies. However, sanctions are a multifaceted concept impacting many, not just the body that imposes sanctions on a state, but also the state itself.
Sanctions are a form of “punishment” that are applied to one country by another governmental body, coming in many forms that are regulated by the United Nations. There are two predominant types of sanctions: economic or financial and diplomatic or political (Sweden, 2023). Diplomatic sanctions that can be categorized as the eradication of embassies within another country or the breaking of relations. This can also mean that a country is completely isolated from contact with another country. Economic sanctions can be a withdrawal of trade and financial connections. Actions that fall under this category are trade embargoes, blocking of foreign assets, and the prohibition of economic transactions (Masters, 2024). Trade embargoes are a complete ban of trade on another country, while the freezing of foreign assets is where countries are banned from foreign assistance, loans, or investments. Sanctions may seem like a reasonable idea to “punish” the government; however, the majority of the time, innocent people are deprived of their necessities (Sanction Scanner, 2024). Economic sanctions are typically the most adverse sanctions as they restrict individuals from having access to goods. We can take the US sanctions against Cuba as an example.
The US has imposed a trade embargo against Cuba since 1962, negatively impacting the already struggling socio-economic system in Cuba. Cuba’s access to medical equipment, energy infrastructure, and pharmaceuticals is heavily dependent on the United States. Due to this reliance, hospitals in Cuba often struggle to support all their patients, with the shortage of medical equipment having its greatest impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to a lack of medical equipment, Cuba mainly grows sugarcane, leaving them with a need to import other necessary foods. These sanctions have caused a lack of food imports, resulting in individuals having to ration their food, unable to eat three meals a day. Though Cuba is undergoing these issues, the US has ethically justified its sanctions to the UN, by holding the regime accountable (U.S., n.d.). Iran is a country similar to Cuba, as the US has imposed economic sanctions, increasing financial hardship, specifically within the accessibility of health care. Aimed to resist nuclear warfare and state-sponsored terrorism, the Trump presidency has applied the largest amount of sanctions on Iran, more than on any other country. The restricted healthcare transcends to mortality rates, illness severity, children’s health, and mental health (Sajadi, 2023). Iran and Cuba aren’t the only countries to have experienced sanctions, but the effects are ubiquitous among sanctioned countries. When researching sanctions, we have to understand the complexity of their impacts, as it is never so simple.
Works Cited
Cuba sanctions - United States Department of State. (2025, July 10). United States Department of State. https://www.state.gov/cuba-sanctions.
Economic Sanctions vs. Political Sanctions. (2025, June 20). Sanction Scanner. https://www.sanctionscanner.com/blog/economic-sanctions-vs-political-sanctions-924
Masters, J. (2024, June 24). What are economic sanctions? Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-are-economic-sanctions
The National Museum of American Diplomacy. (2025, May 7). Sanctions - The National Museum of American Diplomacy. https://diplomacy.state.gov/encyclopedia/sanctions/
What are sanctions? (n.d.). Government Offices of Sweden. https://www.government.se/government-policy/foreign-and-security-policy/international-sanctions/what-are-sanctions/
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