President Trump’s decision to decertify the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) has raised questions and concerns across the globe about the future of the U.S.-brokered, multilateral deal. Many of those questions will have to wait until we see how Congress chooses to respond. In the meantime, it is necessary to acknowledge the impact that the President’s announcement makes today.
Engagements and compromise with Iran have long been criticized. Since its completion, concerns over sunset clauses and inspection protocols in the JCPOA have drawn attention. However, this is our first real engagement with Iran after decades of sanctions and diplomatic isolation. It is better to engage and gather intelligence rather than distance ourselves; leaving information gaps that may lead to uninformed policy decisions and the potential for violent conflict.
This is not to say that there are not very real concerns about the destabilizing actions of Iran. However, these activities should be considered in the context of our shared objectives in the Middle East and the impact they have made in the way of containing ISIS.
Undoubtedly, increased aggression from Pyongyang has impacted President Trump’s reluctance to support JCPOA. International strategic patience has brought the world a nuclear North Korea. So, what now? What is the impact in the region and beyond if America reneges? How will it influence further diplomacy with the ever-increasing threat of North Korea? And importantly, where does it leave America’s credibility to negotiate and influence global policy in an environment where Russia and China are actively vying for an expanded role in the world?
The way ahead resides in Congress. Moving forward, congressional sanctions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are a wise step to pressure Iran decoupled from the JCPOA. Ultimately, the US stands to benefit from a measured but fulsome engagement with Iran. We can do both. We should.