Evaluating the Iran Deal

The Iran deal may not survive the Trump administration. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action requires Iran to limit its nuclear program and allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspections in exchange for sanctions relief from the United States, the European Union, and the UN Security Council. As a candidate, Trump said he would dismantle the deal. He now claims that Iran violated the deal’s “spirit” and has initiated a White House review of it. Trump’s skepticism matches that of several U.S. allies in the region and the mood of Republican majorities in Congress. Meanwhile, ahead of their coming election, Iranian hardliners criticize President Hassan Rouhani for not getting better terms. Advocates of the deal point out that it’s working. Even the Trump administration has formally recognized Iran’s compliance. Freezing Iran’s program, some argue, upsets hawks on both sides precisely because it limits tensions and lowers the odds of war. To discuss the deal and its prospects, Cato is hosting Ambassador Wendy Sherman, who led the U.S. negotiating team for the Obama administration. She’ll be interviewed by Laura Rozen, Al-Monitor’s diplomatic correspondent.