On July 18, the Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative in the South Asia Center, Global Energy Center, and Global Business & Economics Program co-hosted a panel discussion on the likelihood and effect of renewed US sanctions on Iran. The event featured five panelists: Anna Borschevskaya, Ira Weiner Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Amos J. Hochstein, senior vice president of marketing at Tellurian Inc.; Robin Mills, CEO of Qamar Energy; Brian O’Toole, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global Business & Economics Program; and Sara Vakhshouri, founder and president of SVB Energy International. Barbara Slavin, director of the Atlantic Council’s Future of Iran Initiative, moderated.

The event began with a review of the state of play, comparing the United States’ present position with the lead-up to Iran sanctions in 2012. This transitioned into a discussion on the efficacy of renewed sanctions, focusing on the question of compliance for both Iran and the importers of its oil. A key theme throughout the panel was the potential duration of a sanctions regime. This contrasted the market’s short-term ability to supplement Iranian oil with spare capacity against its long-term sustainability challenges given increasing demand. Lastly, the speakers discussed the roles of regional key players, such as OPEC member states, Russia, and China in upholding or undermining US sanctions.

Related Experts: Brian O’Toole and Barbara Slavin