Iran could have chosen the road away from nuclear weapons. It declined.
Advertisement
Iran's own words, and its actions around the world, demonstrated its lack of good faith. Under the Obama administration's 2015 deal, the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran capped its enrichment. But that agreement didn't fully block its path to a nuclear weapon, or even stop Iran from building ballistic missiles, which it has done aggressively. Those missiles menace the region and are being used against Israel now. In the meantime, Iran went unpunished for beefing up its terroristic proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
Get The Gavel
A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr.
Enter Email
Sign Up
When the Biden administration wanted to appease its way back into a deal after Trump pulled out of the JCPOA, it was willing to stop at nothing to get an agreement. It floated dropping the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp's designation as a foreign terrorist organization, lifting painful
sanctions, and re-entering a deal that would allow Iran to
Advertisement
The effects of trying to appease a terroristic regime were predictable: Tehran turned up its nose
at the West. It started sending drones to Russia and ramping up its uranium enrichment. Its proxies wreaked havoc on global trade in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz
and executed the largest terrorist attack in Israel's history on Oct. 7, 2023.
Though I grew up with negotiations, I also grew up experiencing Iran's malicious agenda firsthand. Lebanon, where my ancestors are from, continued to be dragged into conflicts and economic instability thanks to Hezbollah's terrorism and constant conflict with Israel. And it's not just Lebanon — my Iraqi friends, my Syrian friends, my Persian friends can attest to the fact that the region lives in a state of constant fear and chaos, funded reliably by the mullahs in Tehran.
Now it isn't just Biden negotiators and Israel-hating progressives that are cutting Iran slack. Some prominent Republicans — including Tucker Carlson and
have trumpeted isolationism, suggesting that holding Iran accountable for its nuclear ambitions is warmongering. But are they seeing what I have for two decades? Because if they did, they'd know that a country like Iran is not to be trusted with nuclear capabilities — or even a path to them. And certainly not when their favorite refrain is 'Death to America.'
Advertisement
Trump understands the threat. And for a president known to change his mind on everything from abortion to TikTok, he's remarkably consistent on Iran: It cannot have a nuclear weapon, and it cannot have a deal that will eventually allow it to pursue one.
So Trump pulled out of the JCPOA during his first administration, slapping crippling sanctions on Iran with a
With his return to the White House came the resurrection of maximum pressure. But also the possibility of a deal: Give up your enrichment for prosperity and inclusion with the international community. The deal even
Despite a looming threat of an Israeli strike in the background, Iran did not take the deal. Israel struck them on day 61 of the 60 days Trump gave the Iranians to reach an agreement. Still, the Trump administration has repeatedly offered a diplomatic offramp —
including
So far, Tehran has declined to take it, and now it is paying the price that Trump repeatedly promised: US B-2 bombers on Saturday dropped huge bunker-busting bombs on Iran's nuclear facilities, including its deeply buried plant at Fordo.
Advertisement
'President Trump gave Iran a choice, and the Ayatollah chose poorly,' Michael Baumgartner, a Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told me.
The consequences of the attack will unfold for days to come and the actual damage to Iran's nuclear infrastructure is not yet clear. As those assessments trickle out,
Trump's opponents, and even some of his allies, are going to call the strike warmongering.
But holding your red lines against a regime that wishes your destruction isn't necessarily warmongering. It can be the opposite.
Carine Hajjar is a Globe Opinion writer. She can be reached at
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
18 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Bolton Says the US Mission in Iran Is Not Done Yet
John Bolton, former National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump, talks about the attack against Iran, how Iran could respond and the prospect of a wider war in the Middle East. He is on a special edition of "Balance of Power." (Source: Bloomberg)
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump blasts Thomas Massie on Truth Social, threatens to primary NKY congressman
Donald Trump and Republican Thomas Massie are continuing to butt heads as the president berated the Northern Kentucky congressman in a recent Truth Social post. Much like he did in May, Trump once again called Massie a "grandstander' in the June 22 post after the representative of Kentucky's 4th Congressional District has repeatedly opposed the administration's policies. "Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is. Actually, MAGA doesn't want him, doesn't know him, and doesn't respect him. He is a negative force who almost always Votes 'NO,' no matter how good something may be." Trump wrote in the Truth Social post. "MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!" The two share a complicated history, with Massie upsetting Trump the first time in 2024 after Massie initially endorsed candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during his 2024 presidential bid, though he did endorse Trump just days before the election. Massie also publicly opposed Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," on Instagram in May, stating that it will add $20 trillion of federal debt over 10 years. Trump's most recent social media reaction followed Massie's fiery response on X to his administration's announcement of the bombings in Iran, calling the act "unconstitutional". Massie went on to say: "When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that's an act of war. I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in DC (and their social media bots) to say we aren't at war… so they can make war." Massie recently joined Ro Khanna, D-Calif., in introducing a resolution that would block U.S. involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel without congressional approval. Massie's stance drew a rebuke from Trump himself, who wrote in the June 22 post that Massie is "weak, ineffective" and "disrespectful to our military." Trump again promised to back a Republican primary challenge to Massie. Previously, Massie told The Enquirer, "I think every time that I've made my case to the people, even if it's been contrary to what the president wanted at the time, it's eventually worked out for me. And so I'm going to stick with doing what I think is right and making my case to the people." Massie represents almost two dozen counties in and around Northern Kentucky. All of those counties voted for Trump in the past three presidential elections. But while other GOP politicians have lost reelection after losing Trump's support, Massie has dominated every election cycle since he took office in 2012. He was primaried by two candidates in 2024 and beat them with about 76% of the vote. Enquirer reporter Jolene Almendarez contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Trump fires back at Rep. Thomas Massie in newest Truth Social post
Fox News
38 minutes ago
- Fox News
Extra: Deliveries, Taxis, War … And The Future Of Drones
The White House says President Trump's executive orders on drones, signed earlier this month, will 'unleash American drone dominance.' It directs the Federal Aviation Administration to expedite the development of new rules governing the operation and flight paths of unmanned aircraft systems. It will also loosen some regulations, create new ones, and attempt to integrate drones into air traffic more effectively. Michael Healander is the founder and CEO of the drone operations management company, Airspace Link. He was on the White House call about the executive orders. Healander joined FOX News Rundown host Chris Foster to discuss the new rules and how drones may be used in the future, including package deliveries and air taxis, also known as flying cars. We often must cut interviews short during the week, but we thought you might like to hear the full interview. Today on FOX News Rundown Extra, we will share our entire interview with Airspace Link CEO Michael Healander, allowing you to learn even more about the incredible future of drones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
