Iran remains a dangerous and determined nuclear proliferator. It cheated on the NPT, worked on a military nuclear capability, and only when sanctions became unbearable did it come to the table looking for a way to lift them. Unfortunately, it found the way—by achieving a deal that requires minimal nuclear concessions and delivers maximum sanctions relief. Iran’s negotiations strategy had nothing to do with its desire or recognition of the need to change course in the nuclear realm.

The focus of a Trump administration policy for Iran must be stopping it from slowly but surely inching toward its nuclear goal. Part of that policy must hinge on explaining why the deal can never stop Iran if people are lulled into dismissing its weaknesses and believing that it is working. The most important ingredient in an Iran policy is massive pressure and pushback in response to all expressions of aggressive and provocative Iranian behavior—whether in the Middle East or per its nuclear commitments. A consistent and hard-line message must be delivered to Iran as long as it keeps advancing its nuclear and missile capabilities as well as strengthening its presence across the region. Iran’s professed “innocence of wrongdoing” must be countered. Iran must know that it has no sympathy in Washington and that the administration understands perfectly well how it is cynically playing the international community by giving it a false sense of security all the while preparing for the day when it can create nuclear weapons.

Emily Landau is a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and head of its Arms Control and Regional Security Program.

Image: Reuters

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