Abstract
This brief outlines the economic implications of a better deal, beginning with a concise history of U.S.–Iran sanctions, examining how broad sanctions alone have failed, and detailing how targeted incentives can turn a new deal into a win-win proposition. Alongside technical nuclear negotiations, a parallel economic dialogue must explore how Iran’s consumer market can be opened to American firms in the near term and how investment opportunities in Iran can be unlocked for U.S. investors over time. By aligning U.S. commercial interests with Iran’s economic recovery, policymakers can build domestic bases of support in both countries that are committed to upholding a new deal. These steps would spur growth and job creation on both sides while cultivating powerful pro-diplomacy constituencies, from American farmers to Iranian factory workers, who would have a direct stake in sustaining an agreement. This strategy would break the cycle of deal-making and deal-breaking by ensuring that any future U.S.–Iran agreement delivers real, mutual gains instead of merely averting threats.