Problem: Although your company is now just limiting its investigation to Asia and Europe, you believe that the Middle East is a potential future market. However, you consider the situation in Iran. You bring this issue to your monthly manager's meeting.
After the takeover of the American embassy in Teheran, Iran by militants in 1979, the United States imposed broad economic sanctions against Iran that essentially forbade trade and investment between American and Iranian businesses. Although sanctions against the import of Iranian carpets and pistachios were lifted by the Clinton administration, many of the original sanctions remain in effect to this day.
Some American business leaders would like the sanctions to be removed so that their companies can take part in oil and gas deals from which non-American firms are benefiting.
Proponents of the sanctions argue that they have been effective in changing the behavior of the Iranian government. Opponents argue that the sanctions have had little effect on Iranian political behavior, penalize American companies and benefit their competitors and alienate moderate political groups in Iran.
What do you think? How does this situation affect your company's investment and trade strategies? Use the discussion board to air your views at the managers meeting.