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Source: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/iran/2021-10-25/plan-b-iran
Washington Needs to Turn Up the Pressure on Tehran
(Foreign Affairs) Michael Singh - Iran has made impossible demands in the negotiations to revive the nuclear deal, reportedly seeking sanctions relief beyond that provided in the JCPOA, while hesitating to commit to rolling back the nuclear activities it has undertaken in violation of that agreement. By developing a credible Plan B that sharpens the consequences for Iran should it continue to rebuff diplomatic overtures and expand its nuclear activities, President Biden may be able to change Iranian leaders' calculus. The central lesson from past diplomatic engagements with Iran is that the U.S. has achieved the most when it has employed several policy tools in conjunction with one another and acted in concert with key partners. First and foremost, the U.S. must demonstrate that Iran will face consequences for the unreasonable stance it has taken at the Vienna talks. The administration should enforce and expand existing economic sanctions in order to disabuse Iranian officials of any notion that sanctions will simply be permitted to weaken or lapse in the absence of a deal. The writer, Managing Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, served as Senior Director for Middle East Affairs on the U.S. National Security Council.