Any Iran deal without proxy restrictions is strategic surrender - opinion

The prospect of the United States and Iran inching toward an understanding—one that reportedly would exchange billions in sanctions relief for limitations on uranium enrichment and an end to blockades around the Strait of Hormuz—is a deeply concerning development. This potential agreement, reminiscent of the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) from which the US withdrew in 2018, would effectively grant a new lease on life to a regime that has brutally suppressed its own population. To offer such concessions, especially after the regime is believed to have massacred tens of thousands of protesters, would be not only infuriating but also strategically indefensible.

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But what cannot be accepted is regimes that not only oppress their own people but also endanger others as well. Iran falls under that category in two ways.

While the international community frequently engages with oppressive governments, the Iranian regime presents a unique and dangerous challenge. Its transgressions extend beyond the internal repression of its citizens; it actively endangers other nations through its long-standing support for proxy militias. Groups like Hamas, responsible for the October 7 massacre, and Hezbollah, which has fueled destructive wars with Israel and prolonged the Syrian conflict, are prime examples. The Houthis in Yemen, through their actions, have contributed to immense suffering and death, while Iran's Shi'ite militias in Iraq undermine that country's stability. Iran's consistent funding, arming, training, and guiding of these destabilizing forces is utterly intolerable and cannot be overlooked in any diplomatic calculus.

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Iran’s longstanding support for proxy militias that have undermined the region. Hamas, which started a cataclysm with the October 7 massacre, is probably the main reason the Israeli-Palestinian peace process failed. Hezbollah undermines Lebanon, sparked destructive wars with Israel, and prolonged the murderous Assad regime in Syria. The Houthis are responsible, by fighting and disease, for almost half a million deaths in Yemen.

The current hardline leadership within Iran, largely dominated by the most extreme elements of the Revolutionary Guards, shows no inclination to accept limits on these destabilizing activities. This stance stems from a combination of ingrained fanaticism, a climate of fear that discourages conciliation among competing regime figures, and a well-known Persian aptitude for intricate deal-making. However, the primary driver appears to be hubris, particularly stemming from their perceived success in blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Any deal that fails to address these proxy activities comprehensively, in addition to nuclear and missile programs, would represent a strategic surrender, allowing Iran to continue its regional destabilization efforts unchecked.

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Iran’s funding, arming, training and guiding of these terrorists is utterly intolerable.