This study was conducted to investigate the role of international sanctions on drug control policymaking in Iran. The present study, using a qualitative approach and thematic analysis method, conducts an in-depth analysis of this issue through semi-structured interviews with 17 managers, policymakers, and senior experts in the field of drug control, harm reduction, and addiction treatment. In data analysis, five main themes emerged: financial constraints and resource allocation, challenges in accessing technology, drugs, and advanced equipment, international isolation and disruption of regional and international cooperation, strategic changes and policy prioritization, and socio-health impacts and increased vulnerability of at-risk groups. Finally, the central theme of the study was "Sanctions as an existential threat to the transition from active policymaking to passive and crisis-oriented management in drug control." The findings suggest that sanctions have severely undermined the Iranian governance system’s power to effectively and proactively manage the drug problem by disrupting financial resources, limiting access to advanced technologies, and enforcing diplomatic isolation. As a result, the country’s policymaking system has shifted from long-term and proactive planning to a reactive, short-term, and crisis-oriented management. To break this vicious cycle and regain strategic power, this study proposes a “strategic resilience model” with three main axes: “domestic resilience and smart self-reliance” through strengthening domestic production, “active diplomacy and smart transnational governance”. They are intended to develop sanctions-free cooperation networks and “strategic redesign and evidence-based resource allocation” to ensure smart financing of key areas.  This model provides a framework for transforming threats into opportunities and improving the ability to resist external pressures.