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US Struggles With Unmet Expectations in Iran: A Repeating Pattern
March 18, 2026
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Examining the US's inability to achieve its desired outcomes in Iran, a trend that has plagued its regional policies for decades. Analyzing the factors behind these unmet expectations.
The United States' inability to achieve its desired outcomes in Iran fits a familiar pattern in the broader Middle East region. Time and again, American policymakers have set ambitious goals, only to be confronted with the limits of their influence and the complexities of local dynamics.
Unmet Expectations
When the Trump administration withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions, the expectation was that this
Source: The New York Times
Persian Gulf
Iran-Israel War (2025- )
Defense and Military Forces
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War and Armed Conflicts
