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Sending Iran the Right Deterrent Signals
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Dennis Ross - Should Americans have confidence that everything is being done to signal Iran about the consequences of potential violations of the deal with the West? Unfortunately, the answer appears to be no - Tehran has already committed several unmistakable violations of UN Security Council Resolution 1929, such as conducting ballistic missile tests, transferring conventional arms, and flouting international travel bans. Yet Iran has not faced any meaningful consequences for continuing behaviors that are clearly provocative. The next U.S. administration should toughen American declaratory policy so that Iran understands the consequences of violating its commitment not to seek, acquire, or develop nuclear weapons. Indeed, it is essential that both Tehran and the international community become accustomed to the reality that pursuing a weapon in violation of the JCPOA will trigger force, not sanctions. The U.S. should also increase the cost of Iran's threatening and destabilizing behavior in the region, which has hardly changed since the deal was signed. This means addressing Tehran's actions vis-a-vis Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Palestinian terrorist groups. Washington must make the adventurist policies of the Revolutionary Guards too costly for Iran. The writer is a former senior Middle East advisor to President Obama (2009-2011).