Kerry Beitssov, a former official of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the U.S. Treasury Department, told Iran International that sanctions alone are not capable of overthrowing the Islamic Republic, but rather are designed to increase pressure and raise the cost of Tehran’s military and nuclear activities. He added that the impact of sanctions should be measured by how much more difficult, slower, and more expensive these activities become—not by the number of individuals and entities included in the sanctions list. According to Beitssov, the continuous implementation of sanctions matters more than their number; because the main goal is to change the behavior of banks, oil buyers, component suppliers, shipping companies, and intermediaries that cooperate with the Iranian government. He said that arms sanctions could push the Islamic Republic to use more expensive or lower-quality components and, as a result, reduce the effectiveness of the missiles and drones produced.