US–Iran Relations: Coercion-to-Agreement as an Adaptive Coercive Mechanism

This paper analyses the United States’ strategy towards Iran as an adaptive coercive mechanism combining pressure and negotiation. Unlike the US–China case, where competition is institutionalised as the baseline regime, US–Iran interaction remains asymmetric and does not evolve into a systemic mode of competition. The model operates through three core elements: a multi-layered coercive pressure architecture, negotiation embedded within the coercive process, and a cyclical interaction logic that reproduces itself over time. Particular attention is given to the role of external actors and internal structural factors that affect signal stability and negotiation dynamics. It is concluded that US strategy towards Iran constitutes a non-stabilising adaptive mechanism aimed at behavioural constraint rather than systemic integration, thereby representing a distinct type of interaction within the broader architecture of US foreign policy.