The Trump Way to Neutralize The Iranian Threat

Today, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo delivered one of the most important speechesof this century.  In its course, he drew the starkest possible contrast between President Trump’s approach to the threat posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and that of his predecessor. Whereas the latter was defined by a fraudulent “deal” that focused on a single part of the mullahs’ malevolence – and did so ineffectively at that, the former is a clear-eyed and courageous blueprint for actually and comprehensivelyneutralizing that threat.

Mr. Pompeo spoke forcefully about the defects of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or, as I prefer to call it, the Obamabomb deal.  He explained that: the Iranians had entered into it “in bad faith”; that they had lied about never wanting nuclear weapons and “continue to lie”; and that the resulting accord (which his predecessor acknowledged was nothing more than a “political understanding”) “merely delayed the inevitable…[Iran’s] quick sprint to the Bomb.”

The Secretary went on to condemn the JCPOA for being unverifiable, for providing many billions of dollars that have been spent on Iranian-sponsored terrorism and regional instability, for allowing continued nuclear enrichment, and for leaving untouched Iran’s ballistic and cruise missile systems designed to deliver nuclear weapons over ever-longer distances.  He aptly described the bet President Obama made on his approach to Iran “a loser with massive costs” for America, Europe and the entire world.

Mr. Pompeo spoke directly to the Iranian people at several points in his remarks, observing that such outcomes were neither in their interest nor what they want.  He assured them that the United States agrees and that they “deserve better.”

To that end, Secretary Pompeo mapped out a set of twelve requirements that will guide U.S. policy towards Iran going forward. As he pointed out, “The length of the list is simply a scope of the malign behavior of Iran. We didn’t create the list, they did.”

Taken together, these requirements will ensure the Iranians have “no path to nuclear weapons, not now, not ever.”  No enrichment.  No sites off-limits to inspectors. No more missile testing and production. And a cessation of other threatening Iranian activities that are destabilizing the Middle East and endangering the vital interests of the civilized world.

To advance this agenda, the United States will employ the heaviest sanctions in history against the ayatollahs and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the other instruments of state repression that keep them in power.  It will enlist all like-minded partners around the world – a critical departure from relying on the unreliable European nations that were party to the JCPOA, Britain, France and Germany. And, unlike Barack Obama, President Trump will explicitly reach out to and work with the people of Iran against a regime that is now “running scared.”

To those who contend these demands are unrealistic, the Secretary of State called to mind the fact that such requirements enjoyed widespread international support prior to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.  And, in light of the intensifying threat that misbegotten “deal” has enabled, civilized nations have no choice but to demonstrate “steely resolve,” reinstitute sanctions, hold any that violate them to account and work with the people of Iran to “strangle the capacity to do harm” of those like IRGC Quds Force Commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

The Center for Security Policy has long advocated these sensible policies.  It is gratifying to see them embraced by President Trump, now supported by two of the Center’s most revered colleagues, his estimable Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton.  We look forward to helping this superb team deliver on its commonsensical and strategically necessary alternative to the Obamabomb fraud.