Assess the effectiveness of international economic sanctions in changing state behavior via a comparative, evidence‑based analysis of Iran (2006–2015), North Korea (2010s), and Russia (2014–present). Evaluate sanctions’ stated objectives, design and enforcement mechanisms, measurable political and economic outcomes (e.g., nuclear concessions, policy shifts, economic contraction), the role of domestic resilience and external support, and synthesize short‑ and long‑term conclusions about when and how sanctions achieve intended behavioral change.