Research Analyst Samuel Hickey wrote an op-ed in The National Interest explaining that not only is a maximum pressure sanctions campaign ineffective at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, it is also ineffective at curbing its conventional weapons programs.
“Indirect contacts in Vienna between the United States and the members of the Iran nuclear deal (China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia and the United Kingdom) are progressing and the politically challenging issue of lifting sanctions and their sequencing is being addressed directly.
President Joe Biden has made it clear that he would support a return to the Iran nuclear deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a starting point to a follow-on or broader agreement. Further, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has already suggested that Iran’s regional adversaries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates should join a broader regional dialogue that would include a discussion of Iran’s ballistic missiles. Such a dialogue would be a positive step toward ameliorating regional tensions not addressed by the JCPOA and could be a positive step toward restoring trans-Atlantic cooperation on international security.
As talks move forward, however, Biden is facing the same old arguments about what might happen if U.S. sanctions are lifted. The Trump administration argued that Tehran used a windfall of cash after signing the nuclear deal to wreak havoc in two key ways: one, finance the activities of Iran’s proxy groups; two, scale up its arms and missile procurement.
But the facts show these are exaggerations.” Read more
