IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/reviec/v32y2024i1p49-71.html

Extraterritorial trade sanctions: Theory and application to the US–Iran–EU conflict

Author

Listed:
  • Eckhard Janeba

Abstract

Under extraterritorial sanctions the sanctioning country extends its policies to trade of third countries with the sanctioned country. An example is President Trump's decision in 2018 to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a multilateral agreement with Iran. In this article, I develop a game‐theoretic model to explain the emergence of extraterritorial sanctions. Such trade sanctions (i) do not arise when the harmful activity of the sanctioned country (“build a nuclear bomb”) is verifiable even if monetary transfers are ruled out, but (ii) emerge if a second activity (“sponsor international terrorism”) is not verifiable, and the sanctioning countries differ in their gains from trade with the sanctioned country, their harm from the non‐verifiable activity, and their cost from abandoning the international economic order. In the context of the US–Iran–EU conflict, I argue that the oil and gas fracking boom in the US together with former President Trump's ignorance of his international reputation are key factors in the emergence of extraterritorial trade sanctions.

Suggested Citation

  • Eckhard Janeba, 2024. "Extraterritorial trade sanctions: Theory and application to the US–Iran–EU conflict," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 49-71, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:32:y:2024:i:1:p:49-71
    DOI: 10.1111/roie.12682
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/roie.12682
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/roie.12682?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gabriel Felbermayr & Constantinos Syropoulos & Erdal Yalcin & Yoto Yotov, 2019. "On the Effects of Sanctions on Trade and Welfare: New Evidence Based on Structural Gravity and a New Database," School of Economics Working Paper Series 2019-3, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    2. Kaemfer, William H & Lowenberg, Anton D, 1988. "The Theory of International Economic Sanctions: A Public Choice Approach," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(4), pages 786-793, September.
    3. Felbermayr, Gabriel & Kirilakha, Aleksandra & Syropoulos, Constantinos & Yalcin, Erdal & Yotov, Yoto V., 2020. "The global sanctions data base," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    4. James Feyrer & Erin T. Mansur & Bruce Sacerdote, 2017. "Geographic Dispersion of Economic Shocks: Evidence from the Fracking Revolution," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(4), pages 1313-1334, April.
    5. Felbermayr, Gabriel & Morgan, T. Clifton & Syropoulos, Constantinos & Yotov, Yoto V., 2021. "Understanding economic sanctions: Interdisciplinary perspectives on theory and evidence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    6. Stéphane CIRIANI, 2015. "The Economic Impact of the European Reform of Data Protection," Communications & Strategies, IDATE, Com&Strat dept., vol. 1(97), pages 41-58, 1st quart.
    7. Maxim Engers & Jonathan Eaton, 1999. "Sanctions: Some Simple Analytics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 89(2), pages 409-414, May.
    8. Falvey, R. & Lloyd, P.J., 1999. "An Economic Analysis of Extraterritoriality," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 675, The University of Melbourne.
    9. Gary Clyde Hufbauer & Jeffrey J. Schott & Kimberly Ann Elliott, 2007. "Economic Sanctions Reconsidered, 3rd edition (hardcover)," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 4075, January.
    10. Mark Leonard & Jean Pisani-Ferry & Elina Ribakova & Jeremy Shapiro & Guntram B. Wolff, 2019. "Redefining Europe’s economic sovereignty," Bruegel Policy Contributions 31321, Bruegel.
    11. Afesorgbor, Sylvanus Kwaku, 2019. "The impact of economic sanctions on international trade: How do threatened sanctions compare with imposed sanctions?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 11-26.
    12. Akbar E. Torbat, 2005. "Impacts of the US Trade and Financial Sanctions on Iran," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 407-434, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Konrad, Kai A., 2024. "Dominance and technology war," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    2. Peter Egger & Constantinos Syropoulos & Yoto V. Yotov, 2024. "Analyzing the effects of economic sanctions: Recent theory, data, and quantification," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 1-11, February.
    3. Konrad, Kai A. & Thum, Marcel, 2023. "Elusive effects of export embargoes for fossil energy resources," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Petrevski, Goran, 2025. "Economic sanctions and output growth: Empirical evidence," EconStor Preprints 325283, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Jerg Gutmann & Matthias Neuenkirch & Florian Neumeier, 2024. "Do China and Russia undermine Western sanctions? Evidence from DiD and event study estimation," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 132-160, February.
    3. Meyer, Klaus E. & Fang, Tony & Panibratov, Andrei Y. & Peng, Mike W. & Gaur, Ajai, 2023. "International business under sanctions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    4. Olivier Massol & Emmanuel Hache & Albert Banal‐Estañol, 2024. "Trade sanctions and international market integration: Evidence from the sanctions on Iranian methanol exports," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 637-663, February.
    5. Vincenzo Bove & Jessica Di Salvatore & Roberto Nisticò, 2023. "Economic Sanctions and Trade Flows in the Neighborhood," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66(4), pages 671-697.
    6. Lisandra Flach & Inga Heiland & Mario Larch & Marina Steininger & Feodora A. Teti, 2024. "Quantifying the partial and general equilibrium effects of sanctions on Russia," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 281-323, February.
    7. Simola, Heli, 2023. "What the literature says about the effects of sanctions on Russia," BOFIT Policy Briefs 8/2023, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    8. P. Okillong & J. Luwedde & A.K. Nattabi, 2025. "How do sanctions shape intra-African trade? Implications for AfCFTA implementation," Journal of Economic Policy and Management Issues, JEPMI, vol. 4(2), pages 36-48.
    9. Konrad, Kai A. & Thum, Marcel, 2023. "Elusive effects of export embargoes for fossil energy resources," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    10. Jerg Gutmann & Matthias Neuenkirch & Florian Neumeier, 2024. "Political Economy of International Sanctions," Research Papers in Economics 2024-07, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    11. Oechslin, Manuel, 2014. "Targeting autocrats: Economic sanctions and regime change," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 24-40.
    12. Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor & Lukas Kornher & Fabio G. Santeramo, 2025. "The Impacts of Economic Sanctions on Food (Prices) Security: Evidence From Targeted Countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(8), pages 1942-1956, August.
    13. Muharrem Cevik, 2026. "Sanctions and Creative Trade: Evidence from Russia," Working Papers 202601, Center for Global Policy Analysis, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    14. Funke, Michael & Wende, Adrian, 2025. "The Limited Effectiveness of Sanctions on Russia: Modeling Loopholes and Workarounds," VfS Annual Conference 2025 (Cologne): Revival of Industrial Policy 325396, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    15. Arslanalp, Serkan & Eichengreen, Barry & Simpson-Bell, Chima, 2023. "Gold as international reserves: A barbarous relic no more?," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    16. Latukha, Marina & Alon, Ilan & Kuleshov, Nikita & Vaiman, Vlad, 2024. "The effect of sanctions on macro talent management: The case of Russia," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(5).
    17. Mohammad Reza Farzanegan & Mohammad Mohammadikhabbazan & Hossein Sadeghi, 2015. "Effect of Oil Sanctions on the Macroeconomic and Household Welfare in Iran: New Evidence from a CGE Model," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201507, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    18. Kai A. Konrad & Marcel Thum, 2022. "Elusive Effects of Oil and Gas Export Embargoes," Working Papers tax-mpg-rps-2022-05, Max Planck Institute for Tax Law and Public Finance.
    19. Liu, Xue-Ying & Zhao, Xin-Xin & Ma, Kun & Sharma, Susan Sunila, 2024. "The impact of financial sanctions on ESG performance of target countries," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    20. Magoum Tedom, Ornela Amelie & Ondo, Assoumou & Keneck-Massil, Joseph, 2025. "International aid held hostage by international sanctions," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F02 - International Economics - - General - - - International Economic Order and Integration
    • F51 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Conflicts; Negotiations; Sanctions
    • K33 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - International Law

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:reviec:v:32:y:2024:i:1:p:49-71. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0965-7576 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.