OPINION:
The perception of an engaged America committed to global leadership is vital to its capacity to project power, influence behavior, and shape a world that is more free, democratic, and friendly to its interests. But that view has been damaged by the hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, a lax attitude toward human rights abuses, and destabilizing activities by bad actors like China, Venezuela, and Iran.
America’s disengagement has greatly diminished any hesitancy U.S. adversaries once had about engaging in bad behavior. President Joe Biden must take corrective action that erases any doubts about America’s intent to lead and shape the landscape of the global order.
This is particularly important as it pertains to Iran. The perception of a diminished U.S. role in Middle Eastern affairs engenders dangerous repercussions that have already begun to play out and threaten to further destabilize the region. Specifically, Iran continues to violate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), engage in the illicit trade of oil and natural gas with China and Venezuela, destabilize Lebanon, and fund and arm terrorist organizations that attack Iraqis, Kurds, Saudis, Israelis and Americans.
Mr. Biden should get serious about confronting the increasingly dangerous Iranian threat. Over the past nine months, his diplomatic investments to restore the JCPOA and forge a “longer and stronger” deal with Tehran have not generated any return. With Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s blessing, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has sidelined the Iranian negotiating team in Vienna. Mr. Raisi’s foreign minister has said unequivocally that there will not be any new agreements. Surely, misguided hopes have been dashed in Washington that Iran is chiefly motivated by winning relief from U.S. sanctions “that have kept its oil out of a resurging market,” which is a faulty assertion.
Mr. Biden should end his push to restore the JCPOA, which jettisoned the broad multilateralism that led to a biting sanctions regime constructed over a period of years and endorsed by the UN Security Council, and he should welcome America’s regional allies back to their seats at the table. It is wrong for the safety and security of Arabs and Israelis to be determined solely by the U.S., European elites, Russia and China. The Biden Administration should also reassert its commitment to preventing Iran from ever attaining a nuclear weapons capability and make clear that all options are on the table to forestall this eventuality. In no uncertain terms, the U.S. should signal to Tehran that it will vigorously enforce and expand sanctions covering the gamut of Iran’s malign activities, and relief will not be forthcoming until it returns to compliance with its nuclear obligations.
Taking these steps would clarify to our allies that the U.S. remains committed to upholding their security and containing Iran’s regional influence, temper Iran’s belligerency, and demonstrate that Tehran and its allies’ assumptions about America are wrong. Then, through true multilateralism and a strengthened hand in diplomacy, the U.S. can dissuade the Iranian regime from continuing or advancing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, supporting terror groups, and destabilizing the region by other means.
This does not require a great deal of creativity. The president should show that he is serious about protecting human rights by maintaining and expanding sanctions against regime leaders and demanding the immediate release of U.S. hostages. He should demonstrate his belief in democratic accountability by meeting with ethnic, religious, and political dissidents in the Iranian diaspora. He should insist that any future negotiations address the totality of the Iranian threat. And he should reassure allies in the region and around the world that when Iranian militias or terror proxies attack, the U.S. will provide military, intelligence, and diplomatic support.
America has to show up and lead with decisive actions. Mr. Biden can put doubts to rest about his willingness to act, our endurance, our values, our promises, and our capacity to ward off threats by standing decisively against an untrustworthy, criminal regime. Sanctions applied consistently and comprehensively can deter Iran and influence the regime’s behavior while also reassuring U.S. allies and coalition partners and, most importantly, avoiding war.
If, however, we stay on the misguided course with Iran, we can expect our world to become more corrupt and dangerous, our future more uncertain, and conflict more likely.
In his inaugural address, the president said that we are in the “winter of peril and possibility.” With the eyes of the world upon us, successfully confronting the Iranian threat is vital to restoring American credibility.
• David Ibsen is executive director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI). Jordan Steckler is a research analyst at UANI.
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