Jane Darby Menton and Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
The Nuclear Policy Program aims to reduce the risk of nuclear war. Our experts diagnose acute risks stemming from technical and geopolitical developments, generate pragmatic solutions, and use our global network to advance risk-reduction policies. Our work covers deterrence, disarmament, arms control, nonproliferation, and nuclear energy.
How did the United States and Iran view Iran’s nuclear program before the latest war?
Jane Darby Menton: For decades, diplomatic overtures and coercive measures have failed to durably resolve the United States’ concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. During President Barack Obama’s administration, multilateral negotiations yielded the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which imposed verifiable limits on the program in exchange for sanctions relief. Yet this deal proved ephemeral when the first Trump administration abandoned it in 2018 (though Iran was complying at the time). Despite Trump’s “maximum pressure” sanctions, Iran used the intervening years to advance its nuclear knowledge and expertise and amass sizable stockpiles of enriched uranium.
No comments:
Post a Comment