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Trump Can Make the Most of a Bad Iran Deal

(New York Times) Michael Singh - The problem the U.S. faces with the Iran nuclear deal is not Iranian compliance, but the very terms of the agreement. It permits Iran to work on its missile and centrifuge technology even while uranium enrichment is paused, and it's only temporary. The U.S. should work with allies to more strictly interpret the existing text of the accord, close any loopholes being exploited by Iran, increase intelligence cooperation on Iran's nuclear activities, and push international inspectors to interpret their mandate more broadly. Through a package of sanctions, export controls, interdictions and missile defense, the U.S. and its allies should aim to prevent Iran from acquiring an intercontinental ballistic missile and from continuing to export missile technology. The U.S., Britain, France and Germany should also address the problem of the nuclear deal's expiration date by jointly declaring now that they intend to expand and extend the agreement, rather than allow Iran's nuclear activities to suddenly increase when it expires. All of this must go hand in hand with a larger strategy to counter Iranian aggression in the Middle East. American officials need to communicate boundaries to Iran and back them up with a range of tools, including sanctions, diplomacy, and limited military force, if necessary. The writer, a former senior director for Middle East affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, is the managing director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
2017-09-14 00:00:00
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