Thats not true. Iran too can sanction too, for example, by increasing the cost of security for US and GCC countries from creating insecurity(for ex and in reality) in the Persian Gulf. All sanctions are not cash and dollar based. But institutional international sanctions, yes, US carries full clout when that involves USD. US cant get any legal international sanctions on Iran though- the world AKA UN wouldnt support economic action against Iran, so its US alone.
Iran has had it really bad. North Korea has had China right next to it, plus Russia too is a neighbor and supporting. Iran is farther from both countries and "helping" Iran is more complex(for different reasons).
US had 41+ years to do so, and Iran hasnt been choked off. I hate to say this, but US cant choke off Iran, because if US really actually could, Iran would have ALREADY collapsed by now. Iran has built internal resistance to US sanctions and actions. In reality US is afraid as Iran of a military confrontation, but thats more of a problem for US beacuse US is the world's sole superpower....that is not a good position to be in with a regional mid-tier power, like Iran. Where in the middle east has usual Iranian influence reduced?? nowhere! WHat you say here on PDF and whats happening in the streets of the middle east are 2 different things.
what job exactly what Soleimani expected to do for the US?
Once we know that, then we will know whether he was "useless and unfit" or not at his job..
While i agree that Iran will sometimes hold Americans as negotiating chips for its planned deals with the US, in THIS CASE, the last i heard is that he was involved in an "off- the grid" CIA operation(it seems, mostly investigating) involving cigarettes. I think this is why the US govt hasnt come out with more "details "about this Levinson case. Levinson had it hard though, but countries trade in blood and money so what can i say.