Sanctions, Siege, and the Female Body

Source: Common Dreams
by Nazaneen Shokri

“A delayed shipment of medication does not make headlines. A generator failing in a maternity ward is not breaking news. A woman rationing insulin or postponing prenatal care is not framed as political violence. And yet, from Iran to Gaza, these are the quiet consequences of policies described in distant capitals as ‘pressure,’ ‘security’ and ‘strategy.’ Whether through sanctions or siege, the mechanism is different, but the message is the same: Women’s health is negotiable. The Women, Life, Freedom movement born out of Iran has captured global attention. Women in Iran are disproportionately affected by the intensity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with stricter restrictions on their dress, behavior, and livelihoods. The Iran sanctions regime, beginning in 1979 following the US Embassy crisis, refers to the network of international economic, trade, and financial restrictions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran.” (05/19/26)

https://www.commondreams.org/opinion/sanctions-harm-women