Collateral Damage in Tehran: How US Sanctions Turned Language Tests Into Geopolitical Targets

When sanctions regimes set out to strangulate an adversary's economy, the intended targets are the decision-makers in high offices. In practice, administrative dragnets frequently hit those least capable of influencing state policy. Washington's latest expansion of its financial embargo against Tehran, labeled "Operation Economic Outcast," has managed to transform basic English language proficiency tests into a geopolitical battleground.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control suspended several longstanding general exemptions, most notably General License G, which permitted limited academic cooperation and non-profit educational services involving Iran. With a strict wind-down deadline set for September 8, American testing entities responded with immediate compliance measures. Educational Testing Service paused the administration of TOEFL and GRE exams within the country and canceled booked appointments. Duolingo adopted an even stricter posture, banning its online test for anyone presenting an Iranian identification document, regardless of whether the individual resides inside Iran or abroad. In an official statement, the company confirmed that following an August 24 action by the US Treasury Department, Duolingo is required to stop offering the Duolingo English Test to people testing in Iran or using Iranian government-issued identification.

Washington maintains that these measures are intended to sever every financial lifeline supporting the Iranian government and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The broader sanction package covers critical sectors including digital assets, shipping, gold, aviation, and technology, while warning third parties worldwide that assisting transactions in these fields risks severe financial isolation. Secondary restrictions also penalize entities facilitating passage guarantees through the Strait of Hormuz via Iranian authorities.

While senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have asserted that a clear distinction exists between the Iranian populace and its ruling leadership, the real-world execution tells a simpler story of administrative overreach. The policy reinforces a broader trend of international withdrawal; academic institutions in several countries, including Norway, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have already paused PhD applications and sponsorships for Iranian candidates in recent months. In Norway, where academic administration frequently leans into risk-averse bureaucratic compliance, such decisions reflect a broader appetite for pre-emptive caution over pragmatic engagement.

For young Iranians aiming to secure university placements abroad or seeking secondary options in European destinations such as Germany, the obstacles are mounting rapidly. Following the earlier cancellation of IELTS exams in January, applicants face substantial financial strain to arrange alternative testing trips to neighboring countries such as Armenia or Turkiye. As President Donald Trump declared in an online statement that Iran is officially a failed nation, the practical mechanics of Washington’s regulatory machinery leave ordinary citizens paying the toll for systemic policy containment.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer thomas.nussbaumer@alpineweekly.com