The sanctions in Iran were effective in pushing Iran to accept a deal that allowed us to inspect their nuclear facilities and ensure that no weapons grade enrichment was going on.
They achieved what they were meant to achieve.
Of course Trump tore up that deal, which made the sanctions mostly worthless in the end, but that's on Trump.
That is copium to the highest degree. The sanctions were meant to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb, they were about one year away from having one when the sanctions hit, nowadays I read somewhere (maybe the Economist) that they're maybe one month away only from being able to build one. The sanctions failed.
Later edit: Article from November 2021 about the one-month thing: "Iran one month away from achieving nuclear weapon". [1] As recently as January 2020 the West still thought that Iran was "one or two years" from building a bomb [2]
A large enough quantitative change turns into a qualitative one, when you get only one month away from having a bomb surely people from that general area, like the Israelis, won't be that keen on these syntactic small differences.
The Isrealis haven't been keen since they did even just the smallest amount of work.
The deal is to avoid an all out confrontation with a quid pro quo so iran doesn't finish; it doesn't erase the knowledge & capabilities they now have.
I would guess if the deal fails Isreal would probably attack again and this time I'm not sure it would be with the US and only digital (and probably more than targeted assassinates too).
They achieved what they were meant to achieve.
Of course Trump tore up that deal, which made the sanctions mostly worthless in the end, but that's on Trump.