Western nations are finding it increasingly difficult to expand sanctions against Russia and Iran, according to Mohammad Marandi, professor at the University of Tehran. He told RIA Novosti that the problem stems from the West itself gradually slipping into isolation and losing partners such as India and Brazil.

Marandi said this makes the mechanism of imposing sanctions against Russia or Iran far more complicated. He pointed to the rise of organizations like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which show economic growth and pursue their own interests in today’s changing world.

On the issue of Iran, the scholar stressed that sanctions imposed on his country are political in nature. In his view, Western states are unwilling to see Iran act independently or support the Palestinian people.

He described the situation as a «battle of wills," where the West seeks to preserve its imperial dominance while much of the rest of the world pushes toward a freer and more equitable system.

Russia has repeatedly stated that it can withstand Western pressure. President Vladimir Putin has said the EU’s strategy of containment is long-term and that sanctions have dealt a heavy blow to the global economy. He argued the true aim of Western governments is to worsen the lives of millions of people. Meanwhile, voices inside Europe itself have admitted that sanctions have proven ineffective.