Unintended environmental sustainability ramifications of US sanctions

This study examines the environmental impacts of US sanctions on Iranian companies from 2013 to 2023, finding significant increases in air pollution, energy consumption and industrial waste. Although corporate governance and social responsibility practices offer some mitigation, they do not fully offset the negative effects. However, community social capital completely neutralizes the environmental damage. This research contributes to public policy discourse by emphasizing the complex and unintended consequences of sanctions on environmental sustainability.