Sean Sullivan 리트윗함
The Iranian nuclear Deal Wasn’t Perfect But it had major advantages that are clearer today
The Iran nuclear deal was not perfect. But it was a sophisticated piece of diplomacy, one that meaningfully rolled back Iran’s nuclear program and strengthened elements within the Iranian regime that favored deeper engagement with the West.
At that singular moment in time, the conditions aligned.
On one side, there was a U.S. administration that recognized there was no viable substitute for diplomacy. On the other, an Iranian leadership, led by a president with the political skill to navigate internal resistance and was willing, and able, to move the system toward an agreement, even against significant domestic opposition.
That window did not stay open.
The decision to withdraw from the deal without a coherent alternative strategy is what led us to today’s reality:
An Iran with unprecedented levels of uranium enrichment, and the growing technical capacity to establish small, hardened enrichment facilities using advanced centrifuges, capabilities that could significantly shorten its breakout time and increase the availability of fissile material for a weapon.
The debate should not revolve around whether the original deal was flawless, it wasn’t. The real question is whether abandoning it without a viable replacement made the problem better or worse.
The answer is increasingly clear today.
#IranWar
Mohammad Ali Shabani@mashabani
This is exactly the line pushed back in 2013, as historic Iran-US talks were initiated. At the time, the claim was that Reformists lacked a mandate and authority, and that the IRGC would not permit a deal. Two years later, the landmark JCPOA was signed. Netanyahu finally scuttled the deal in 2018, when Trump was convinced to unilaterally pull out.
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