Putting an end to Iran’s apocalyptic nuclear ambitions is a job that must not be left half-finished, which explains the panic that greeted reports of President Trump’s initial peace deal Sunday morning.
There were far too many “to be worked out later,” “trust us” and “in principles” in the leaked agreement, and early reports suggested Iran was being thrown a lifeline while giving little in return.
Because of the blockade, the regime is facing an oil storage crisis that is crippling its economy and will soon force it to shut down production. To allow Tehran 60 days to export that crude through a reopened Strait of Hormuz, raising money and buying time while they tap the US along, takes away a key piece of leverage.
Meanwhile, Iran appears to be playing the same games it always has. It played coy on whether it actually agreed to give up its enriched uranium and stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons. And it insisted a ceasefire against Hezbollah in Lebanon be part of the deal.
The situation improved later on Sunday. President Trump insisted he would not be rushed into a deal, and rightly said the blockade would remain in full force in the meantime. A senior official said Iran would be held to its commitments, and would get no sanctions relief without concrete actions; “no dust, no dollars.” And reassuringly, the administration wants a deal that prevents Iran from getting a nuclear weapon for decades, not just the short term.
Over the next few days, it’s imperative that Iran agrees to the how, where and when its uranium will be disposed before the blockade is lifted. And the uranium needs to be in safe hands before any money is released. No “in principles” allowed.
We need to have an agreement on nuclear weapons that provides for inspection and verification. No “trust us.”
In addition to stopping its nuclear ambitions, Tehran must also agree to limits on its missile and drone programs. One of the many failures of the Obama nuclear deal was that Iran continued to fund and arm its proxies — including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis — to attack our allies.
Faced with the distinct chance of a popular uprising, destroyed military capacity, and a closed Strait of Hormuz, Iran is weaker than it’s ever been. We cannot give them a chance to rebuild and retrench. Trump’s attacks may have set back their weapons program, but it won’t take long to rebuild them, particularly with help provided by Russia and China. Whatever immediate improvement to the global economy will be undermined by a smug and resurgent Iran.
Trump has created the best chance any president has had to finally defang a key member of the Axis of Evil. He must not let it pass.
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