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Return to Iran Nuclear Deal Would Be Unwise

(RealClearWorld) Brig.-Gen. (res.) Jacob Nagel - The deeply flawed 2015 nuclear deal with Iran never blocked the world's most prolific state sponsor of terrorism from a direct path to a nuclear arsenal in a short time. The Iranians have made progress in the nuclear realm since 2015. The U.S. ignored the concerns of Israel and its new regional partners during last round. It will be harder to ignore them now, especially if they speak with one voice. Israel and its Gulf allies must join hands to oppose up-front concessions to Iran. It is important to convince banks and businesses worldwide that re-entering Iran would be risky. Iran is still engaged in a wide range of illicit conduct, and no political agreement can erase that. Israel must work with the U.S. to retain a credible military threat against Iran's nuclear program. Iran simply will not negotiate a new reasonable deal unless Tehran is certain its nuclear facilities are under threat of destruction. Israel and its regional allies are not opposed to a new agreement. However, the next deal must permanently block Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons. The last one failed to do that. The next deal must fully prevent Iran from maintaining a "civilian nuclear program" in underground facilities. It should also address all three elements of Iran's illicit nuclear program: fissile materials, weaponization, and means of delivery. Those that seek a rapid new deal with Iran posit that such tough demands will only lead to conflict with the Islamic Republic. This is the wrong mindset for starting a negotiation with Iran. The new administration should not rush to the negotiating table. The writer served as head of Israel's National Security Council and as the prime minister's acting national security advisor.
2021-01-18 00:00:00
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