Pakistan, Sept. 28 -- The latest round of US sanctions on Iran is not merely another chapter in the economic confrontation between Tehran and Washington. Its implications extend beyond Iran and the United States, reaching China, Russia, Turkey and the wider region. The American strategy of increasing pressure on Iranian airlines, banks and businesses is aimed at further isolating Tehran. Yet the changing nature of global politics suggests that sanctions no longer produce the same results they once did.

Iran has lived under sanctions for decades. During this period, it has developed alternative trade routes, regional economic relationships and informal channels of commerce. The latest pressure will certainly create difficulties for Tehran...